London Calling
by Nuwanda31
Summary: While honeymooning in London, Reid and Riley find themselves swept up in a serial murder case of vacationing couples, unaware the killer may have decided to strike them next. Pairings: Reid/OFC, Morgan/Prentiss. Reid/Riley Part IV
1. The Wedding

Summary: Reid and Riley head off on their honeymoon to London, glad to be away from the stress of the FBI and the constant horror of murders for two whole weeks. But, as usual, misfortune follows them to Europe, ruining their plans. A serial killer is murdering couples visiting the city. Believing to be out of their element, Scotland Yard asks for the assistance of the BAU, unaware Reid and Riley just might be the next target.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is the property of CBS, the writers, producers, and actors of the show. I have no authority over anything except original characters.

* * *

><p>Reid had never been more nervous about a kiss, but had never wanted to kiss her more. He moved in slowly, capturing the lips who welcomed his touch. Her soft hand ran up his black sleeve to his shoulder and onto his neck. Her other arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. The sounds surrounding them barely registered in their ears as he wrapped her in his own arms, their kiss intensifying.<p>

A full minute passed and their kiss unwillingly ended. Remaining in each other's embrace, Reid and Riley smiled at each other blissfully, almost drunk on each other. The applause began to resonate around them and they remembered they were still standing before a crowd. They couldn't stay here forever. One last look in the others eyes, Reid grasped Riley's hand and went back down the aisle.

The wedding of Spencer Reid and Riley Parker took place on a Saturday afternoon in the Van Buren Hotel in downtown DC. It was a simple ceremony, but very beautiful, making the year of planning and preparing entirely worth it. For two people who kept to themselves and didn't enjoy being in the limelight, the idea of being the center of attention for the entire day didn't appeal to either of them. But they understood how important it was to friends and family to see them get married, and suffered through it.

The reception was a much lighter and pleasant atmosphere. The guests were mingling and enjoying themselves. Emily stood next to the bar, a glass of champagne in hand. Her eyes were focused on the couple slow dancing on the floor. So lost in each others arms, the two didn't seem to notice there was a ballroom of people around them.

"Would you look at them?" Morgan muttered as he walked over, standing next to her.

"Yeah," Emily replied, "Can't help but… they look so happy."

She lifted her glass and took a sip, trying to ignore the fact that Morgan's attention had shifted from the bride and groom to her, taking in her figure in her dress.

"I never knew you looked so hot in lavender." He growled, leaning a bit closer. Emily rolled her eyes. It was one thing when they were alone, but surrounded by dozens of people, many of whom were FBI agents, required a bit more discretion. Their entire team was here, including their unit chief, Aaron Hotchner, and now would not be the best time to reveal their true interests in each other.

She stiffened a bit as his fingertips slipped behind her to graze the small of her back. "Morgan…" she whispered, looking around. "Not here,"

"I take it that means you don't want to dance?" He asked.

She looked at him, a little surprised, meeting his enticing gaze. The persuasive eyes that could get her to do pretty much anything. "That doesn't sound like such a good idea."

"Oh, come on, Prentiss," His fingers left her back. "It's just a dance. They're not going to reprimand us for dancing at our friends' wedding."

She wanted to give into him. Emily had never danced with Morgan before outside of a club, longing desperately to hold her body close to him as they swayed to the music. But they needed to have great discretion when seen together in public; she couldn't risk any rumor that might come out of it.

"I'll take a rain check." She muttered, glancing at him over the rim of her glass. She tried to tell him everything she was feeling through her eyes.

Morgan read her better than any man she'd ever know. He gave her a small smile and a wink before walking off. Emily watched him until he reached a group of single girls, conversing at the other end of the bar. She immediately turned back to the bride and groom, trying to ignore the territorial jealousy burning in her stomach.

Later in the evening, Hotch was having a dance with Riley. "Hey, listen… thanks for walking me down the aisle today."

"No problem," He said with a smile. "You make a very beautiful bride, you know."

"Huh, thanks," She huffed. "I'm relieved, after all the dresses and veils Garcia made me try on, she would be livid if I didn't."

Hotch laughed. "Admit it though, you're happy you had a real wedding."

"Okay, yeah, this was fun," She replied. "And I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about my wedding… since I was five-years-old. But I have to say… I'm a little grateful it's over."

"Why?" He asked.

"I've just been waiting for the other shoe to drop." She explained with a shrug.

But Hotch was still confused. "What do you mean?"

"A whole year planning the wedding… maybe I was just paranoid, Aaron, but I kept waiting for Spencer to think 'Huh, right… you're so not worth the rest of my life'."

A silent moment as he fixed her with a very serious stare. "Yes, you are. Spencer's a genius, he would never make such a stupid decision."

He really cared about her. Riley pulled him closer in a hug as they kept dancing.

Meanwhile, Reid was sitting with JJ, his arms protecting the form of an infant baby. "Are you having a good time, Joey? Did Mommy let you try some cake?" he asked, smiling.

"I think he's still a little young for cake." JJ replied, admiring Reid and her four month old son. "You know… I wouldn't be surprised if pretty soon, it's your little baby we're all passing around."

Reid met her eye. "We'll see." He replied, downhearted. "Riley and I haven't come to any final decisions on that."

JJ brushed his shoulder with sympathy, "Give it time, Spence. She'll come around to the idea."

"You really think so?" He asked, hopeful.

"I know so." She replied with certainty. "I seem to remember saying that about something else you had doubts on… and now we're at your wedding."

Reid remembered, giving a light laugh. He spotted his father heading towards him and carefully handed Joey back to his mother.

The one good thing that came out of the case with Nathan Harris was it brought Reid and his father closer together. Not only had he come to his son's wedding, but they had been talking every few weeks on the phone over the past year. And, when Reid had come to Vegas to visit his mother, he took the time to at least spend a few hours with the man.

"Hey, Dad," Reid said pleasantly, standing up, "Having a good time?"

'Yes, but unfortunately, I have to call it a night," He informed. "It was a wonderful wedding, though."

"Thanks," Reid smiled, "I am really glad you came, Dad."

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything, Spencer." He replied. "I think you two will be very happy together."

"You know, our flight isn't until tomorrow evening, if you wanted to get together for lunch." Reid said hopefully. He was really beginning to enjoying spending time with his father.

"Normally, I would, Spencer, but I have to get back home. My flight's at six in the morning. But I'll take a rain check."

"Great," Reid agreed, as Hotch and Riley walked over. "We'll call you when we get back from our honeymoon."

"Are you leaving, Will?" Riley asked.

"Yes, but thank you for inviting me. You look so beautiful," He said, giving her a hug.

Riley smiled. "I've been hearing that all day and I'm still not sick of it."

"Reid," Hotch said, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

A little nervous, he shared a glance with Riley, who shrugged, unsure what this was about. He followed Hotch out of the ballroom where they could speak in private.

"What's going on, Hotch?" Reid asked.

Out of his pocket, Hotch pulled out a business card. He handed it to Reid as he spoke, "I wanted to give this to you. This is the name and contact information of a man I went to college with. He's an inspector at Scotland Yard and a very good friend of mine. If you and Riley need anything or get in any kind of trouble, you call him. Just tell him you know me and he'll help you, no questions asked."

"Thanks, Hotch, but," he shrugged, "we're not going to get in any trouble. You know us."

"You won't mean to," He clarified. "But things can still happen. You know that."

"I know, but… it's England." He assured.

"Reid," Hotch urged. "I don't care if it's Canada. It's still a foreign country. It's not going to hurt to have a citizen as an ally. You don't have to tell Riley about it. It's just a precaution."

Hotch had a point. Reid's badge would be useless over there. With a nod, he slipped the card in his pocket. "Thanks, Hotch."

"I doubt you'll have to use it, though." He said to lighten the mood. "And have a good time."

Meanwhile, Emily made her way through the crowd to where Riley was saying goodbye to Reid's father. Wanting to speak to her in private, she waited until Riley was alone.

"Hey," Riley said, "Having fun?"

"Yeah… the champagne's good, anyway. I probably spent a little too much time at the bar." Emily admitted a little guilty.

"I don't think the bar tender was complaining." Riley gave her a knowing smirk. "I saw the way he was checking you out. He's cute, you should give him your number."

Emily let out a light chuckle. "Yeah, maybe. Listen, I want to give you something."

"Okay," Riley looked at her curiously, knowing this was serious.

Emily lowered her voice, handing her a small piece of paper. "I told my mother that you were going to London. This is the name of a friend of hers at the American Embassy in England. If you guys have any trouble with your visas or passports or getting home, you just have to call him. My mother's contact information is there, too, if you need additional help."

"Thanks, Em," Riley said, clutching the paper. She seemed a little unsure.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

"I don't know," Riley looked to make sure no one was listening. "Maybe it's just… wedding day jitters, but for the last few weeks… I've been really nervous about the honeymoon."

"You don't think it's cold feet, do you?" Emily wondered, though it was a little late to ask now.

"No," Riley said with confidence. "I thought that, too. And… as nervous as I was about the wedding, I had no doubts about getting married. It's just… I don't know, I have a bad feeling about going to London… and I don't want to mention it to Spencer because he'll cancel the whole thing to make me feel better. I don't want to do that to him… and I do want to go…"

"You're probably just nervous about going so far away. I mean, you've never left the country before. And neither of you have been to Europe. It can be nerve racking the first time you leave. I've been changing countries for years and I know I still get nervous sometimes."

Riley wasn't convinced, but nodded. "You're right. And thank you. But don't mention to Spencer about this… or that you gave this to me."

Emily smiled, "No problem, what's a maid of honor for? Just think of it as a wedding present."

"Wait… you didn't get us a real present?" She asked, giving her mock glare.

Morgan walked over as the girls were laughing. "What's so funny, ladies? Reid's dancing skills?"

"Hey, that's my husband you're talking about, Agent Morgan, so watch it!" Riley snapped with a smile.

"Yeah, well, you tell that husband of yours he better treat you right unless he wants his ass kicked." He gave her a wink, both of them knowing that was a useless threat. "You looked really beautiful today, Riley, I hope you know that."

"She always looks beautiful," Reid said as he made his way back to her, his hands slipping onto her waist as he pulled her into kiss.

"Thank you," Riley uttered as their kiss ended. She shifted into his arms. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Well, as fun as it is to see you both making those eyes at each other, I think I'm going to call it a night. You guys have fun on your honeymoon." Emily stated. "Um… Morgan, I'm feeling a little dizzy. I think I had too much to drink. I hate to ask, but do you think you could take me home.

"Yeah, I guess so." Morgan replied, giving the impression it were an annoying inconvenience, ignoring the worried glance between the happy couple. "Reid, Riley, congratulations again." He gave them each a one armed hug, "You guys have fun in London. We'll see you in two weeks."

"Thanks, Morgan," Reid said, "And thanks for being my best man."

* * *

><p>Morgan led Emily from the ballroom toward the elevators. Once they were safe inside, he said in a mocking cry. "'Oh, Morgan, I had too much to drink. Could you take me home?' Nice performance, Prentiss."<p>

"Thanks, I practiced in the mirror all morning." She sarcastically remarked. The instant the doors were closed, Emily moved herself against him, forcing him against the wall. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

Their lips parted begrudgingly, in need of breath. "I've been wanting to do that all night." He said, his hands clutching to her waist, enclosing any remaining space between them.

"Me too," she retorted. Her lips brushed his again. "Ever since I saw how sexy you look in that tux."

He met her in another kiss. One hand traveled down to her thigh, lifting it to rest against his hip. The hem of her lavender dress sliding up to reveal the straps of her garter belt clipped to her thigh highs. Morgan moved his lips down her neck to her shoulder, pushing the strap of her dress aside.

She let out a stifled moan. "I hope we don't run into anyone."

"The only other people from the wedding staying here tonight are Reid and Riley," Morgan said as he moved slowly to the pulse point on her neck. "And they're staying in the honeymoon suite, which is five floors above us; they'll never know we're here. Trust me," He met her eyes with a wicked grin, grinding against her slightly, "It's just us tonight. All night."

She bit her lip in anticipation with her own pleased grin. They kissed again, with fervor and fire. The elevator dinged and they pulled apart instantly, attempting to show a little decency were anyone waiting for the car.

Thankfully, they were alone. Morgan removed the key card from his pocket, clutching Emily's hand as they hurried to their room.

* * *

><p>"We could have just gone home, you know," Riley called from the bathroom of their suite. "The nightly rate on this room is more than I make in a week."<p>

"That wouldn't be special." Reid explained, pouring two glasses of sparkling cider while he waited, his jacket and tie removed. "You've been in there for over twenty minutes, are you at least close to being ready?"

"I want to look nice for you!" She called. "It'll be worth the wait. Trust me, it will knock your mismatched socks off."

"My mismatched socks are already off. You can just come out naked." He smiled when he heard her giggle.

He took a sip from his glass, enjoying the fizzing apple juice. Reid was not a big drinker and did not mind forfeiting champagne for Riley, who didn't like to drink at all. "I think what Morgan and Emily said about us at dinner was really sweet." He heard her call.

"Yeah, me too." Reid agreed.

"I'm glad all I had was a maid of honor. I never got the point of bridesmaids, even if I had a lot of friends. I mean really, what do they do?"

Reid laughed, "Actually, bridesmaids were traditionally created to protect both the bride and the groom. They were used a decoys. In order to protect them from evil spirits, they would have several girls dressed exactly like the bride to confuse them. It was in order to ensure a long and happy life for the couple." He looked over at the direction of the bathroom, emitting a heavy gasp.

For the second time that day, Reid felt his stomach contract. Like a painless way of being punched in the gut. The first time had been at the ceremony, watching her come down aisle.

Riley had finally come out of the bathroom. Her hair was down and wild once again, flowing naturally around her down to her hips. She wore a long, soft white negligee, partially transparent. It went from a low, exposing neck line down to her ankles, with lace slit up the side to expose the long, slender legs he never tired of touching. Thin, barely visible straps went over her shoulders. Riley leaned against the frame of the bathroom, her ivory arm over her head so the fabric spread along the extended curves of her body.

There was a long silence as Reid tried to remember his own name. "Close your mouth, you look like a trout." Instantly at her command, his jaw closed again. She came into the room, walking towards him. "What were you saying? About… bridesmaids?"

"Uh… I honestly can't remember." Again, her giggle made him smile. "You look amazing."

"I told you so." She came up to the table, picking up her glass while admiring the arrangement of the cider, strawberries, chocolate, and roses. "Wow… you know, I appreciate all the trouble you've gone to for a romantic evening, but you know… I'm a sure thing. It's our wedding night. You're pretty much guaranteed sex." She said, taking a sip.

"I did all this because it's our wedding night." He stepped toward her, taking her glass and setting both on the table. He slipped his hands onto her waist, feeling the delicate fabric of the night gown. "I don't need to seduce you, Riley. I have an eidetic memory so I know for a fact I've never needed tactics to seduce you. I did this because I wanted to make this night special. Isn't that why you just spent twenty-five minutes in the bathroom?"

"Well, yeah. I wanted to look pretty for you. It was worth the wait, though, right?" Her brown eyes sparkled at him.

"Yeah… it was worth it… and I don't just mean the last twenty-five minutes." Reid's hand brushed her cheek, pushing some off the hair off her face. "Riley, you know we've been through so much the last three years. The minute I saw you coming down the aisle, it was just another reminder how important it all was. I saw you… you're hair was up and tame, like I'd never believed could be possible, in that gown that I couldn't comprehend was so simple, yet made you look so spectacular at the same time, and your veil going down your back. The way both the dress and veil had those silver sparkles all through it… they looked like snowflakes…"

"That's what I thought, too." She said with glistening eyes. "When I first tried it on, it reminded me of our first walk… and it started to snow."

Reid smiled, so pleased they were thinking alike. "I couldn't breathe… it was like I was seeing you for the first time."

The tears were welling up in here eyes. "Spencer… you're going to make me cry."

He continued. "I don't know about you, but… I wouldn't trade a second of the last three years. The good or the bad; even the worst of times when I was sure we wouldn't come out of it alive. It was worth it; it brought us here. All those awful memories are behind us now. You're more than my wife, Riley… you are my whole life. I love you."

With a deep breath, Riley smiled, unable to hold back the tears as she slipped into Reid's arms. Her own wrapped around his neck while her bangs brushed against his brow. The trembling fingers on her hand caressed the back of his head. "I love you, too… I am so glad I married you, Spencer Reid."

With a smile, Reid leaned down and met her lips. With a sigh of content, she released his neck and began to undo the black buttons of his tux. She made slow work of it and he didn't rush her. Both wanted to take it slow, like it was the first time all over again. Their lips never left each other, barely parting to replenish air. The shirt slid off his shoulders, revealing the white undershirt beneath it. As it fluttered to the floor, his arms went around her waist, pulling her against him. Riley's arms returned to Reid's neck, allowing his protective form to lead her across the room and lay her on the bed.

* * *

><p>AN: I was going to wait a little longer before I started this story, but I had a really bad day and dealt with people that just made it worse. (And it doesn't help when those certain people who shall remain nameless are supposed to be your family.) So my misfortune is your gain, at least some good comes of it. :)

Once again, I hope you guys like how this started. It just gives a small taste of what's going to happen in this story. I figured after everything I put them through, Reid and Riley deserved a mishap free wedding.

Now, I'm basing it mostly in London. I haven't been to London yet, unfortunately; my knowledge of British culture consists primarily of what I've learned from Doctor Who and Blackadder. Probably not the best examples, but it's all I got. I'm trying my best to sound authentic and courteous, but I want anyone from the UK to know that, if they read something offensive, I offer my greatest of apologies. It was not my intention and I have nothing but great respect and adoration for the United Kingdom and the culture.

I've got lots of plans and twists for this story. I'm already ten chapters in, so we're off to a good start. I really hope you guys enjoy. Tell me what you think, reviews are free so give them away! (And the story alert button is so conveniently located!) :)


	2. Lost Reservation

This couldn't be as bad as it sounded. Marcy hurried up in the service elevator with one of the constables, heading up to the honeymoon suite. The maid was in the laundry room, trying to calm down. The last thing the hotel needed was for any of the other guests to get wind of this.

The double doors to the suite were wide open. There were several policemen standing in the hall, just in case any guests or unauthorized personnel came down this way. They allowed Marcy and the officer to pass into the room. The stench of blood hit her nose immediately as she stepped in.

"Oh my God," she uttered, stepping in, covering her nose. The splatter on the walls glistened in the midmorning sun streaming through the windows. There were several clicks and flashes in the room as the crime scene investigators processed the murder scene.

"Excuse me, are you the hotel manager?" A man in his late forties asked, coming from across the room.

"Yes," She replied, hurrying forward to accept his hand. "I'm Marcy Lemon, manager of the Grislow Hotel."

"My name is Inspector Leonard Bradbury, I'm with Scotland Yard." He explained. "I apologize for the disturbance. What can you tell me about the victims? The room is registered to… Mr. and Mrs. Robert McClaren?"

"According to the registry. They were traveling from Scotland. I would assume they were newlyweds, as most couples are when they stay in this room." Her eyes lingered over to the bed behind Inspector Bradbury; the cream colored sheets with the hotel's monogram were messed and tangled, stained in a sea of blood. Marcy had to look away at the sight of the long brunette hair hanging over the side. The bodies hadn't been moved yet.

"I know this is difficult, ma'am," Bradbury said, "But I need your account on how the bodies were discovered."

"Uh…" Marcy seemed unable to speak, trying not to think of the poor woman lying in there. "…I was in my office. I was looking over the inventory forms for the new year. My assistant came in and told me one of the maids was upset. Linda. She's always been a bit flighty, I've been contemplating sacking her to be honest. I went to speak with her… she was very distraught, could barely get a word out. All we could truly understand was that she was coming up to clean the room. I sent Andrew, my assistant, up to see. I couldn't think of what possibly could have frightened her so…"

Bradbury questioned, "When were they set to check out?"

"That's what's odd, sir. When I checked the registry, it said the couple weren't set to check out until today, but had instead left yesterday afternoon." Marcy explained.

"And no one was supposed to come into the room between check out and the next day when the maid service came into clean?" He needed to be sure.

"No," she assured. "Only the maid and maintenance staffs have a master key to every room. That would mean the killer has to work here, doesn't it, sir?"

"Not necessarily, ma'am." He corrected. "For instance, if memory serves, this and the other suites are unlocked with traditional skeleton keys, correct?"

Marcy nodded. "Yes, sir. The owners believed it kept the charm of the original hotel."

"Well, with old world charm comes less security. Anyone with a skeleton key could have unlocked the door without a struggle." Bradbury explained.

It wasn't her fault, but Marcy couldn't help but feel guilty. Ignoring that unneeded emotion, Marcy demanded from the man, "How am I supposed to handle this, Inspector? I can't exactly close down the entire hotel until you solve this case."

"That won't be necessary, ma'am. But this room will have to be closed until we clear the scene." He said. "We'll contact you if we have anymore questions."

Marcy nodded as he stepped away. As fast as her high heeled feet would take her, she speedily rushed to her assistant, grabbing him by the arm.

"I need you to look at the reservations for the suite." She hissed in his ear. "Anything booked for less than a week from now, have it assigned to another room."

"And what do we tell those guests?" He wondered.

"I don't know! We'll decide when the time comes, now go!"

"Yes, ma'am. Straight away, ma'am." Andrew hurried from the room to complete his task. Marcy watched his retreat. Her eyes landed on the blood splatter on the wall before her, wondering what kind of person was capable of such an act.

* * *

><p>There was still another two hours to go. The plane was dark, most of the passengers were sleeping. A few lights were on in the cabin. Reid was trying sleep, unable to find a suitable position. A six hour flight was a long time to sit in one seat. He was starting to feel antsy and cramped, needing desperately to stretch his legs.<p>

"Hey, Squirmy," Riley whispered, looking over from the book she was reading, In God We Trust: All Others PayCash by Jean Shepard. "You need to sit still."

"I'm sorry, I can't get comfortable." He moaned, trying desperately to take advantage of the little leg room he had.

"How can you be uncomfortable, it's First Class?" Riley asked.

Reid grumbled, "Because I'm used to lying down when I sleep on a plane."

Riley rolled her eyes. "The FBI has spoiled you."

"I know…" He complained, still trying to find a better position, his legs eventually flying up to kick the back of the chair in front of him. The passenger turned around, an elderly business man. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the young genius. Reid raised his hand apologetically, "Again, I'm sorry."

He continued to frown until finally he turned back. Slightly embarrassed, Reid turned to look at the woman pretending to be interested in her stories, trying to stifle her giggles.

"It's not funny." He hissed.

"It's a little funny," She flashed him a smile. "I know you're feeling cramped and restless, but just… try to relax, we'll be there soon."

She reached over and took his hand, at last turning back to her book. Reid stared at her for a moment. He admired how she immersed herself into the pages, losing herself in the stories. He loved the way she fell in love with books like this.

At the sight of her moistening her lips, he suddenly had to touch her. His hand seemed to move on its own accord, reaching to wrap his arm around her, pulling her as close as possible.

"What are you doing?" She asked, unable to stop the pleased smirk that appeared.

"Just… trying to relax." He said, pressing his lips just below her ear. "This is much more comfortable."

"I'm trying to read." She whispered with a sneer, not giving into him.

"No one's stopping you," He muttered, nibbling on her neck.

The constant kissing on her skin was too distracting. With a conceding sigh, she abandoned the book. Riley adjusted herself, the better to see his face, and held him as close as the seat divider would allow. Her hand brushed away the long tendrils hanging on his face. "I still can't believe I get you all to myself for two whole weeks."

"Me neither," Reid sighed, closing his eyes and enjoyed her fingers stroking his hair. "This is the first real vacation I've ever had."

"Well, it's long overdue." She replied, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Mmm," Was his agreement. "And it's just us. No FBI, no, agenda, no murders… nothing horrible for two weeks. Or a fortnight as our host country says."

The long silence was worrisome. At last, he opened his eyes, noticing the fear on Riley's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She replied, her smile obviously fake.

He pulled away from her, sitting up. "Something's wrong." He decided, concerned. "Tell me, what's bothering you?"

"It's… nothing. Don't worry about it." she hissed, wishing there was another grumpy face annoyed by their conversation. Everything had gone smoothly so far, voicing her inhibitions would just curse the rest of the trip.

"If it's upsetting you, it is something." Reid pushed. "Come on, I'm your husband now. I'm supposed to fix your problems and make you feel better."

"You were doing that long before you were even my boyfriend." She noted. "Well… it's just… I don't know, I guess because things have been going so well lately… that never happens for us. I'm just waiting… for something to ruin it again."

"That's not going to happen." Reid assured her, and she could tell he believed it. "All that awful stuff is behind us. This is the happily ever after part. Everything's going to be fine from now on."

"You know… you're kind of annoying when you're optimistic." She teased, grinning.

Reid wasn't fooled, moving close to her again, "Well, somebody has to be the positive one in this marriage."

With a chuckle, she pulled his face to hers and planted a heavy kiss on him. He was right. Riley was nervous for nothing. There was nothing to be scared about in London. Everything would be fine. If she just kept reminding herself that, her fear would go away.

* * *

><p>It was 8 am when the made it to the Grislow Hotel, but in their time, it was 2. After a night of no sleep and the added jet lag, Reid and Riley were exhausted as they entered the lobby. It was mostly empty. The old man sitting in the seat Reid spent most of the flight kicking was sitting reading the newspaper, as luck would have it. A few maids were gossiping in whispers in an alcove. They headed to the front desk to check in.<p>

It was unmanned and Reid rang the bell. His arm went around Riley, who leaned on him in her fatigue. A second ring and a young girl rushed over, looking a bit frazzled. "Sorry about that," she said with a fake smile. "Checking in?"

"Yes," Reid replied, reaching into his pocket. The only ID he carried with him anymore was his badge. He handed it over, observing how it was the first time a civilian looked at it without a nervous shadow crossing her face. "Reid for the honeymoon suite. R-E-I-D."

The ID met to her liking and she handed it back without comment. Her fingers moved over the keyboard, bringing up the registration on the screen. "Oh…" she muttered. "Are you sure that's your reservation, sir?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Reid said, and Riley opened her eyes and stood up. "You mean it's not there?"

"Are you positive you didn't book for one of the regular suites?" She asked.

"No, I made that reservation three months ago." Riley said bitterly. "I had it confirmed."

"When did you confirm it?" Reid asked.

"Well, someone confirmed it for me last week." She said, and by the expression, Reid understood. She had Garcia work some magic and made sure all the orders had gone through.

"I am sorry, ma'am, but it's not here." The young girl urged. "There's no one registered for that room for two weeks."

"That's because we have it for two weeks!" Riley snapped. Her exhaustion and lack of caffeine made her cranky and this little mishap didn't help.

Reid stepped in before Riley could unleash real anger on the poor young girl. They had barely been in England an hour, they didn't need to labeled the Ugly Americans already. "Look, I'm sure there is an explanation for this. I know this isn't your fault, but we'd really like to speak to your manager, please."

She looked ready to refuse, as if it were the normal response when such demand came from a guest. But she seemed to respond to Reid's politeness in the matter. Dealing with distraught and hopeless victims and families developed a great skill of appealing to people. Not wanting to tell him off, she replied, "I'll go get him."

"The day manager of the Grislow Hotel is named Marcy Lemon. That is a woman, isn't it?" Reid asked, knowing this girl was about to give them the runaround.

Through gritted teeth, "I'll get her, then." and hurried away, leaving them alone once again.

"I knew it," Riley whispered to herself. The lobby was too quiet for him not to overhear.

Reid was calm, as it usually was between the two of them. Reid slipped his arm around her lower back and pulled her closer. "Hey, if this is the worst thing that happens the entire trip, I think we can live with that. It we don't have the suite, it's not going to change anything. We could sleep in the laundry room for all I care, as long as we're together."

"How did a man with 187 IQ become such a hopeless romantic?" Riley asked. Her eyes were tired, but she was smiling just the same.

"He met the right girl." He replied, kissing her cheek.

A short woman, almost as young as the desk clerk, stepped over. Head to two in a business suit and heels, sending off vibes of both determination and contempt at anyone crossing her path. "I'm Marcy Lemon, I'm the manager of the hotel. I understand you've been asking for me."

Quickly, Reid explained the situation to the girl. He recited all the information on their reservation, including the time of day Riley made it and the entire confirmation number without batting an eye. By the time he'd finished, the manager stared at him in surprise.

"Well…" she replied. "You certainly stated your case, Mr. Reid, but it's not necessary. I am so sorry, but we had to delete your reservation on that room. We've moved it to another suite, but we're only charging you a single room rate for your entire stay. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it can't be avoided."

"Why did you have to change it?" Riley asked.

She hesitated a moment, fixing Riley with a nervous stare. Reid recognized that look, seeing that on suspects during questioning when they were trying to hide something. "There was a robbery last night. The couple lost some… valuable things. Uh, Patricia will finish checking you in, and I will send for a bellhop." She gave them a condescending smile, a bit disturbed by their inquiry. "Enjoy your stay with us, Mr. and Mrs. Reid."

And with that she trotted away. "I think Strauss would like her," Riley whispered in Reid's ear as they turned back to the desk. He responded with a snort.

The bellhop brought them up to their room, carrying their bags. They didn't bring much luggage with them. Reid had learned how to pack a considerable amount of items in a small space. His arm was still around her as they followed the young man, but Riley noticed how distracted he was the entire way up.

Once at the suite, the bellhop unlocked the door and brought their bags inside. "Stay here," Reid ordered, leaving Riley in the hall. She obeyed, wondering why he didn't want her to follow inside yet. After a moment, the young man left with his tip and Reid came back out. Before she could say a word, he pulled her to him, lifting her to carry her over the threshold.

"Hey," she giggled, her arms over his shoulders. "Didn't we do this on the wedding night already?"

"Yes, and I intend to do it again when we get home." He replied, slipping a swift kiss on her lips. "Come on, we only get to be newlyweds once. Something I never planned on experiencing in my life."

"Me neither," She agreed, resting her brow on his as they walked across the suite. For a man so skinny, he had a surprising amount of strength and stamina, carrying her with no problem. "You know… I was nervous about having a real wedding… and you know my fear about London… I don't know why, probably because I'm paranoid about everything now… but I want you to know, Spencer… not once did I have doubts about marrying you or spending my life with you. Not one."

"That's good to know." He said casually, placing a kiss on her jaw line, not expressing just how much those words meant to him.

Carefully, he laid her on the bed, moving to kiss her neck. As good as it felt, though, Riley wasn't enjoying it. She felt ready to sink into the bed and sleep for a whole day. "Spencer… stop." she mumbled.

"What's wrong?" he asked, meeting her brown eyes.

She seemed reluctant to say, rethinking perhaps to just give into him, "Sweetheart, I love you, and I want this, but… I'm exhausted. Would you mind if we just went to sleep instead?"

He didn't respond immediately and Riley thought at first she had offended him, "Oh, thank God," he sighed, falling beside her on his back.

She giggled, rolling on her side to look at him. Her joy faded, however, when she saw his eyes, focused on the ceiling. They had that glint, the one she'd seen as he wrote information feverishly on a white board during a case. "What are you thinking about?" She wondered.

"I was just remembering about what Marcy Lemon said…" he admitted. "She said there was a robbery in the honeymoon suite."

"I know. Just think, a day earlier, it could have been us." Riley said, taking his hand.

Reid shook his head. "That's not what bothers me. She hesitated before she answered and then said it was a robbery."

"So?" Riley may have filled in for JJ during her maternity leave, but three months was hardly enough time to develop an advanced skill of profiling.

"So she told us directly it was a robbery. With the hesitation, it's obvious she was lying." He pointed out.

Riley wasn't quite sure she agreed. "You don't know that. This is another country, Spencer. The people are different here."

"But human behavior is the same no matter where you go." Reid corrected, finally meeting her eye. "She had to think quickly on her feet. A manager like that would be experienced enough on how to do that. A safe answer would be a plumbing or electrical problem. But… perhaps if she were rattled from the situation, she had to think of a cover story and robbery came to mind... she said it before she realized."

"I think you're right," Riley admitted. "Knowledge of a robbery would be bad for business."

"The question is… what's so horrible that happened in that room, they don't mind us thinking it was a robbery." Reid finished.

They needed a change of subject. "You need to relax. I shudder to think what happened in there, and I feel for that couple, whoever they were, but… you're not investigating the case. You're not supposed to work, you're supposed to have fun and enjoy yourself." She leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Reid smiled. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," She snuggled closed to him, her hand running along his abdomen. "It's a habit, one that makes you good at your job. You just need to take it easy. Get some sleep now, and I promise, in a day or two, I will have you totally relaxed."

"I like the sound of that." He growled as he wrapped his arms around her.

The thought of getting changed and under the covers didn't even cross their minds before they were both fast asleep.

* * *

><p>AN: As for the book that Riley's reading, my best friend gave it to me for Christmas. It's a book of short stories that apparently was the inspiration for A Christmas Story. I can't believe that's been my favorite movie for about fifteen years and I never knew it was a book first. I highly recommend it. :)

Love the reviews I got, they're so sweet! Hope that keeps up! And the amount of story alerts are great, I recognized a few faithful readers and a few new ones, fantastic! :) Keep it up, guys!


	3. Scandal

Her go bag already in car, Emily headed up the stairs early Monday morning to check on Reid and Riley's apartment. Since they were going to be gone so long and be so far away, the two asked Emily to keep an eye on their place whenever she was in town. Since the team would probably be gone the remainder of the week, she wanted to do a run through before they left for San Francisco today.

Unlocking the door let her into the chilly darkness of the place. That was first on Riley's check list. Attempt to adjust the temperature. The last thing the newlyweds needed to return home to was a flooded apartment because the pipes burst. It took her twenty minutes to finally get the dinosaur of a thermostat working. The heat began filling the place. She only hoped it would last until she returned from California.

Next were the latches on the windows. Once all the living room ones were concluded to be secure, she headed down the hall to the bedroom. It occurred to her that, though she had been to the apartment dozens of times in the last year, this had been the first time she'd been in here since Reid faked his death. It looked fairly the same, except the bed was made this time. The blinds were drawn in here as well. As she made her way over to check the first one, she swore she heard the sound of the door opening.

It was probably just her imagination. She often got nervous when she was alone in a strange dwelling, usually because the reason she was there was to investigate a murder. The first window was safe. She redrew the blind and pulled the curtains over, moving to the second one.

It was so early, the street lights were still on, the sky barely turning a navy blue. Her fingers tested the lock, finding it secure. Just as she reached for the blind, there was a creak of a floor board. Emily froze; it wasn't just her imagination anymore. Slowly, she pulled down the blind, the only light in the room came from the hall. Slowly, she pulled out her gun and headed to the door. She leaned against the wall, listening.

The silence hung for a long time, and she was beginning to think it just been her mind playing tricks on her after all. Then it sounded again, the obvious squeak of the wood. Taking a deep breath, her gun at the ready, she jumped out to face her intruder.

"Jesus!" She cried, spotting Derek Morgan standing in the hall. He stared at the girl with her gun in complete defense mode, an amused grin on his face. "You scared me, I thought someone had broken in!"

"I'm sorry," He said, far from sounding like he meant it. "You usually wake me up when you leave."

Emily hooked her weapon back and headed back into the bedroom. "Yeah, sorry, it was really early, I didn't want to wake you. I needed to check this place before we go out of town."

"I appreciate it… but I didn't get to kiss you goodbye." He followed her inside.

Emily, retrieving the list from the floor, stood up straight and fixed him with an amused smile. "And why is that so important?" she mused.

"Because otherwise, the next time I'd get to see you, I have to pretend I have no desire to see you naked, Prentiss." He explained, moving over to her. His hands slipped on her hips, leisurely pulling her closer. As her body connected to his, he leaned down and gave her a slow kiss. It was captivating, a way that told her that their relationship wasn't just the physical aspect, that he did in some way care about her. She just wasn't sure how much.

Until she did, she would never admit just how much she cared about him… and how much she wanted more from this.

As their lips pulled apart slowly, Emily spread into a smile. "That works better than coffee."

"Reid and Riley might disagree with you on that." Morgan's arms had someone managed to enclose her, whose own rested on his shoulder.

"Reid and Riley have never kissed you first thing in the morning." She expressed, reaching up for a second round.

Morgan pulled away. "Okay, Princess, never joke about me kissing Reid again." He was so serious, Emily had a hard time trying not to laugh. "Riley, I wouldn't mind… but I'd much rather kiss you."

She blushed and smiled as their lips met a second time. It ended too quickly, though, as Emily pulled away. "I have to finish checking the place before work. You can help me."

With two people, the continuing check of the apartment took about fifteen minutes. They met back in the bedroom as Emily closed the closet door.

"Safe is still locked and secure." She informed, getting back to her feet. "I wonder, what exactly a genius and a psychiatrist have that needs to be kept in a safe."

"With those two, I'm not sure I want to know," Morgan replied. "Anything else?"

"Nope, that's everything." She replied, folding the list and slid it into her back pocket. "We've got about an hour. Why don't we grab some breakfast?"

"That's not a bad idea," He replied, moving into her space again. The immediate feel of his hands on her back informed her he had something else in mind. "I've got a better one."

"No," she stated plainly.

"You just said we have some time. What can we do that we both enjoy that won't take more than an hour… twice." He pulled her close to him. It was almost impossible for her not to touch his body when they were like this.

Indeed, within seconds of the first contact, her hands started sliding over the plains of his chest. "It's not that I don't want to… but we don't have time to drive all the way to my place – or your place, it's closer – have sex, shower, and be at work on time."

"True," he agreed, leaning his forehead to brush her bangs. "You have a good point… so why don't we just… skip the first part?"

It took her a second to realize his intention. Shocked, "Here?"

"Why not? We're here, there's a bed, there's no chance we're going to get caught…" he went to kiss her again, but she shifted away.

"Because I will never be able to look either of my friends in the eye again," was her reasoning. "And, also-"

But her second point was silenced by a kiss. It was passionate, setting flame to a fire in Emily's stomach. It was getting harder to refuse him. He held her closer, and she knew how much his hands were itching to travel lower. She herself longed to slip her own under his shirt and feel his strong abdominals under her palms.

"Morgan we can't," She moaned, as he moved down and sucked on her pulse point.

"Yes, we can," Morgan replied, muttering into her flesh. "Think of it as Reid's punishment for not letting me throw a bachelor party."

Her giggle resonated through the empty room. She was still reluctant, but he was easily able to lead her to the bed. Her blouse was tossed aside and Morgan began moving his lips down her collar bone. Emily's last lucid thought was to be sure to change the sheets before they left for work.

* * *

><p>Riley sighed sadly at her reflection. Her hips were too prominent in this dress. It was elegant, reaching down to her ankles. The deep purple was superb, the style was beautiful; she loved it, but wasn't sure she had the figure to actually pull it off.<p>

She had stared at herself long enough. It wasn't going to get any better. Smoothing out any remaining wrinkles in the velvet, she gave herself one more dissatisfied look over and headed out of the bathroom. "Alright," she grumbled, grabbing her rings off the bedside table. "I'm ready."

After almost a full minute, Reid responded, "You know… when we get back to America, I'm going to have see a cardiologist if you keep putting on outfits like this."

She looked to him with skepticism as she slipped on her rings and grabbed her purse. "I look awful in this. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought it."

"Are you delusional? You look gorgeous," he stepped over to kiss her cheek.

"You say that when I'm wearing jeans and my jersey." She corrected, his arms sweeping over her stomach as he pulled her to him.

"And I mean it then, too," His kissed below her ear, pulling her as close as possible. "I'm half tempted just to stay in tonight… we could order room service?"

Riley considered it a moment. She tossed her bag aside, turning to face him and reached around his neck. "No, let's go out and have a good time. Enjoy the city for at least one night. You look too handsome not to show off."

She met him in a kiss. Maybe she didn't look very good or maybe it was just her imagination, but either way, Spencer made her feel so beautiful. He always had, and she knew he wasn't lying. Their kiss ended, "Let's go," he said, taking her hand. Her other reclaimed her purse and they headed to the door.

"You know," Riley said as they stood in the elevator, "I still remember the first time you told me I was beautiful."

"Me too," Reid replied, kissing her temple again. "We were in your apartment in Quantico… and we were on your couch… I was so in love with you."

"I loved you, too." She replied, hating herself for taking so long to finally admit that. "I always loved you… I even know the moment I first knew I liked you. Remember?"

He cringed. "I wish I didn't."

"When you spit all over my carpet." She revealed.

His face emitted a tinge of pink. "Can we pretend it was a different moment?"

Her fingers pushed a piece of his lengthy hair behind his ear. "Nope," she said with a smirk, running her hand along his cheek. She reached up and gave him a slow, warm kiss.

With a chime, the elevator opened onto the ground floor. Reid slipped his arm around her waist and led her out, heading for the lobby. He was starting to feel much more relaxed now, not even thinking about unsubs or profiling. Work was slipping rapidly from mind, his concern falling on the next two weeks and the girl beside him.

As they were about to turn the corner, the sound of hushed voices was heard. Reid and Riley both slowed to a stop, listening to the surreptitious discussion.

"This is rubbish! Why do we have to wait around for the next of kin?" A young girl demanded from her companion.

"Would you rather be down in the basement, waiting for the coroner… with the bodies?" The companion answered. Even in whispers, Reid recognized the tone as Patricia, the desk clerk.

"Oh, don't be daft," her friend replied, repulsed. "I just think Lemon should be handling this herself, honestly."

"Oh, she already left, no doubt spending the evening with Andrew," Patricia was annoyed from the sound of it. "Does she really believe no one suspects what's going on between them? The man doesn't know the sharp point of a pencil; why else would she keep such an incompetent git as her assistant?"

The first girl laughed lightly, but it sounded nervous. "I just… don't want to be here. Knowing someone came into this hotel and murdered two people in cold blood…" She couldn't even finish her thought, it was too frightening.

Reid took a glance at Riley, both equally as startled by that. He stepped closer, the better to hear. He kept Riley protectively behind him, as if to conceal her. Eavesdropping was wrong, and Reid had gotten mixed messages from it in the past, but he couldn't bring himself to take them away.

"I don't think it was cold blood." Patricia replied. "It seems a little too… passionate for that. Blood spattered on the walls and all that…"

"You're probably right, but it is very frightening," the friend muttered, her voice nervous. "A horrifying murder took place in the hotel… and no one knew what was going on. Two people slaughtered, right under our noses."

There was a break in the conversation; one so long they began to believe the girls had walked away. Still, though, they were afraid to leave their spot. The fear of getting caught wasn't even a concern.

At last, Patricia spoke up again, "Mr. McLaren said he would be here by eight. He should be arriving any minute now."

"I just want to get it over with." The friend replied. "I can't imagine what the poor man must be going through, coming to claim your brother's effects when such a short time ago, you were celebrating his marriage."

At that, Reid felt the grip of a hand on his arm. He knew they should go, there was no reason for them to listen to this, and it was just upsetting Riley. He couldn't help but have an inkling he'd regret overhearing it later, but Reid couldn't tear himself away. Carefully, keeping Riley protectively behind him, as if they were raiding an unsub's dwelling instead of walking down the corridor of a fancy hotel, Reid moved closer, the better to hear.

"It does raise one question, though," Patricia wondered aloud, "It doesn't seem possible two people could be slaughtered like that… and no one heard them scream."

"Ugh…" the friend uttered, and Reid suspected one of them shuddered from fear. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, it's just… too frightening."

"Yeah, especially when you wonder if the killer is still around," Patricia suggested teasingly, a way to scare her friend further. "It doesn't matter, I believe that's him anyway. Come on."

It seemed as if the girls stepped away. After a moment, Reid peaked around the corner to check they were really alone. Patricia was nowhere in sight, having moved into the lobby with her friend. Reid took Riley's hand and continued walking toward the lobby.

"Well…" Riley exclaimed quietly. "I guess that answers your question about the robbery."

Reid took a glance behind him, as if they were now the one's being watched. No one seemed to be paying them any attention. "Yeah… and by the sound of it, it's not something the hotel has had to deal with before."

"Well, that's good. I guess." Riley looked calm, but her hand gripped Reid's like a vice. "From what the girl's said… it seems like the killer knew the victims personally."

She was right, and normally Reid would agree. But they weren't at work; they weren't even in America. "It's none of our concern." Reid stated with a small smile. "It's awful what happened but… it's not our responsibility to investigate. There's nothing we can do anyway. So let's not worry about it."

Riley agreed. Still nervous, she smiled and nodded. They reached the front entrance and headed out into the chilly London air, unable to leave the dread or anxiety behind.


	4. Distracted

Reid couldn't forget the conversation they'd overheard. He'd been processing the evidence over and over in his mind, like he were working the case. Riley seemed to sense he was distracted their entire evening, but never brought it up.

After returning to the hotel, he made the claim he was still jet lagged and wanted to go straight to bed. Riley understood and wasn't the least upset, which only made him feel worse. Reid wanted desperately to just forget the McClarens' murder and enjoy the night with his wife, but he couldn't get his mind to focus on anything else. He believed that all he needed was a good night's rest to clear his head. In the morning, he'd feel refreshed and be able to enjoy his honeymoon.

Unfortunately, sleep continued to elude him. Riley was lucky, falling not too long after they'd gone to bed. Reid tossed and turned for several hours, getting no relief. Finally, by 3 AM, he gave up trying and laid back on the pillow. He stared at the ceiling, with nothing but Riley's breathing for company.

Without any knowledge of who the McClarens were, he could only make a guess as to a reason for their murder. The young girl Patricia had believed it was a crime of passion, considering there was overkill.

Reid knew that was true for a stand alone event… but if it were a serial killer, it wasn't necessarily true. Overkill was almost always present at the hand of a psychopath.

There was no evidence this was a serial murder, however. With a bit of investigating, he could see if there were any similar deaths in the London area recently, both single and double homicides. Of course, he would have to know the details of the crime scene, the position the bodies were found in, the coroner's report on the autopsies-

He cut himself off. Reid had to remind himself that he was not investigating this crime. He had to stop thinking about how he would go about processing the evidence. Rolling onto his side, he took in Snow White next to him. He loved watching her sleep; she was so beautiful and peaceful.

This wasn't fair to her. She was already nervous about this trip, and finding out there was a murder in the room they were supposed to be in was no doubt disconcerting. Continuing to focus on it wasn't going to help either of them. Tomorrow, everything would be different. They would start enjoying their trip and all the things Reid had in mind for them to do. With that resolution, he wrapped his arm around her. Pulling her close to him, he was careful not to wake her. Reid closed his eyes and gave sleep another try.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the team worked on the kidnapping case in San Francisco. It was morning and everyone had made it in from the hotel. In the stations break area, Morgan and Garcia were talking over coffee. He hid his pleasure, seeing Emily come over to join him.<p>

"Morning, Garcia," She said pleasantly, her eyes avoided him as she went straight for the coffee pot. "Hello, Morgan."

As far as the rest of the team knew, things had never been the same between Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss. A year ago, when things had first started, in the presence of the others, they gave the impression they hated each other. They were constantly disagreeing just to get on the others nerves and refusing to spend time together unless it was professionally necessary. It seemed their friends were fooled, especially when Hotch pulled them aside to warn them if they didn't start getting along, he'd be forced to transfer one of them. After that, they 'made the effort' to be respectful and repair their friendship. It was never as it was and the others believed they were merely tolerating each other. The constant passive aggressive bickering whenever they were in the same room was a clue.

"Morning, Prentiss," Morgan said, looking away. Garcia felt nervous around them when they were together, afraid they would pull her into the middle of a disagreement. "Sleep well?"

"Can't complain," she replied, meeting his eyes. "You?"

"Not too good. But then again, I never do when I sleep alone." He flashed a smile at Garcia, who returned it with a worried glance. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, needing a change of subject. Her fingers danced on the sparkle that hung around her neck. "I'm surprised you guys haven't noticed my new necklace yet."

Emily set the carafe back and turned to look. They spotted a skeleton key encrusted with diamonds, hanging on a silver chain. "Oh, that's so pretty. Where'd you get that."

"It was a gift from Kevin." Garcia smiled. "A very special gift."

Emily understood a bit sooner than Morgan, "This isn't some ordinary piece of jewelry, is it, Garcia?"

Her eyes lingered on the ceiling, giving such a sweet simper, "Not exactly. Kevin knows I've never been a girl for diamond rings."

"Oh, the boy popped the question, didn't he, Baby Girl?" Morgan said, putting his arm around her.

"Yes!" she cried. It was after Reid and Riley's wedding. He took me home and I was a little tipsy from the champagne, but… we got upstairs and… he sat me down and pulled out this box and said he wanted me to be his wife… because I hold the key to his heart."

"Ah," Emily cooed, "That's so romantic." She wasn't a girl who demanded a big hoopla when it came to romance, but even the toughest girl responds positively to a loving gesture like that.

"Looks like we going to have another wedding." Morgan pointed out. "This time I better get a date."

Emily hid her disdain for that statement until Garcia corrected him. "Actually… no. We're going to elope on our vacation in June. We haven't decided where yet, but we just want something simple."

"Simple?" Emily asked, "Garcia, I didn't know that word was in your vocabulary."

She giggled again, "Well, I should get started checking those leads. I'll see you guys in there."

With her coffee in hand, Garcia hurried off, leaving them alone. Emily went to stir cream into her coffee. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the man behind her edging closer to her.

"'Oh, that's so romantic'," Morgan whispered, leaning into her ear. "I didn't know you were into that kind of thing, Prentiss."

"What kind of thing?" She asked, taking a glance to make sure no one was in the vicinity to see or hear anything.

"Romance. You know, the whole moonlight and roses thing," he explained.

"Why should that be a concern of yours?" Emily inquired in a hiss, "It's not like you're my… boyfriend or anything."

Indeed, he wasn't. They got along well, but for the sake of their careers, they decided to keep the relationship as simple as possible, which meant not to get too serious about it. Neither had been very good with relationships. That fact with the need to keep a clear head on the job made a casual fling the best solution. At least, it had been a year ago.

"I guess you're right," he shrugged. "It's a shame, because… I can plan a pretty romantic evening."

"Yeah, right," Emily said, rolling her eyes.

"What, you don't believe me?" He slipped a hand into the small of her back, not caring if his boss or the others noticed. He was getting so tired of hiding from everyone. Morgan felt her body shiver at his touch, as usual. It was a response he never got from another woman and adored it. "I know I don't have a lot of steady girlfriends, but I know how to make a girl melt."

"Sure, maybe some bimbo you picked up in a bar. I'm too smart to fall for your tricks." She argued, turning to meet his eyes. They emitted their usual twinkle, and for a moment Emily wished she could forget where they were and kiss him.

"Is that a challenge, Princess?" He growled.

"What if it is?" she smirked, her hand itching to go the planes of his chest again.

He didn't reply at first. Just fixed her with a pensive stare and backed away. "Then I accept. When we get back to Quantico, I will plan you the perfect romantic evening and make you feel like the princess you are."

She hid her enthusiasm, giving him instead a doubtful glare. "You're going to make me feel like a princess?"

"A sour princess for being proven wrong, but a princess just the same." He gave her a wink.

"Yeah, well, I'll believe that when I see it, Morgan." She turned back to the coffee.

He let out a laugh, getting ready to step away. "Well, you just wait. You will have your romantic evening, and it is going to kick your ass, Prentiss."

With a pleased smirk, mug in hand, Morgan headed off to join the rest of the team. Emily sipped her drink, anticipating the solving of this case. She wouldn't let herself get excited, though. This didn't mean it would lead to anything more than they had. She wanted more, desperately, but the threat of losing him was too much to bear. Still, at least she could have one real date with the man she was falling in love with.

* * *

><p>Tired and restless, Reid was walking through the halls of the hotel. He and Riley had decided on going out for breakfast and then spending the day in the city. It sounded like a fun, but Reid couldn't get the murder from his mind. It invaded his thoughts like a virus and wouldn't let him focus on anything else. He decided questioning the manager could possible get this out of his head, and so, while Riley was in the shower, went to her office to speak with her.<p>

Ignoring the sign indicating entrance only to authorized personnel, he moved into another corridor. At the end of the hall was a door with MANAGER written on a gold plaque. He knocked, "Come in," a male voice called.

Reid opened the door, spotting a young man sitting behind a desk in a small waiting area. He got to his feet in question, looking Reid over quizzically. "I'm sorry, sir, guests aren't allowed back here."

"I don't mean to cause trouble," Reid informed, "I just wanted to speak to Miss Lemon for a moment."

"If there's a problem with the room, sir, you just need to go the front desk." The assistant clarified. "If the clerk believes the manager should intervene, she'll fetch her, but otherwise-"

"Actually, this is about the murders in the honeymoon suite." He interrupted. "I'm just curious about them and I felt the manager would be the best person to question."

Shocked, the man, who Reid suspected was Andrew, stepped away from his desk. "Wait here, I'll see if she's occupied."

He hurried himself to the door behind him, rushing in without knocking. Reid took a seat, wondering how long it would take the young man to convince her to see him, though he suspected not long at all. Sure enough, Andrew returned in less than five minutes. "She'll see you, sir," he informed. The door stood ajar, waiting for his entrance. Reid stood and hurried in, wanting to get this done and back to his room before Riley was the wise to his disappearance.

"Miss Lemon?" he asked, stepping in.

Her back was to him, standing at her filing cabinet. Her fingers were busy, rifling through each folder, searching for something in particular. She turned to look at him, her perfect blonde hair sweeping over her shoulder. "Oh… Mr. Reid, I should have known."

"I don't mean to disturb you, Miss Lemon, I just wanted to speak-"

"About the murders?" She asked, "Mr. Reid, it is a wonder how a guest in my hotel would even know about that when it wasn't even released to the media."

"I overheard two of your staff talking last night," Reid explained. "I haven't been able to concentrate on much else."

She closed the drawer to the cabinet and went to her desk, setting a red folder down on the wood. "Mr. Reid, I apologize. My staff should have more tact than to discuss that in public. I'm sorry if it disturbed you, but I assure you, sir, this is a safe hotel and nothing is going to hurt you or your wife."

Reid nodded, his hands slipping into his pocket thoughtfully. "Thank you, but that wasn't my reason for coming here. I was just curious as to… how you and the hotel were dealing with it."

Marcy Lemon fixed him with a sickening stare, "Mr. Reid… pardon me, but I believe you need to find a new hobby."

"It's not a hobby, ma'am. It's my career." He cleared his throat, stepping further into the room. "I work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation back in America… I deal with a lot of homicide cases, usually time sensitive by single offenders."

"Time sensitive." She repeated, "You mean serial killers?" The usual anxiety crossed her face at learning the reality of his job. "That must be difficult work, Mr. Reid."

"Actually, it's Dr. Reid," He corrected. "I have three separate Ph.D.s and am currently working on a fourth."

"You can't be more than thirty." She observed, "Are you some kind of genius?"

He needed to steer her back to the subject at hand. "That's not relevant, Miss Lemon. I just wanted some information on the murder of the McClarens."

Her patience was failing with this man, "Dr. Reid, I appreciate the concern, but you work in America, meaning you have no authority here without the invitation of Scotland Yard, isn't that correct?"

"Usually," Reid nodded, "But I'm not actually concerned with investigating, I was just curious. Maybe I can offer my expertise on the subject."

"Oh, of course. We can't do our jobs as well as an American can, correct?" She snapped as she slid out of her chair.

Reid was shocked, immediately launching into an explanation. "No, Miss Lemon, not at all! I know Scotland Yard is fully capable of investigating any crime, I just-"

"Honestly, even if I wanted your help, Dr. Reid, there's nothing I can tell you. I'm not concerned with the crime, you understand. My job is to protect this hotel and its reputation. An explanation as to why I kept the business of two clients by giving them a very expensive suite at a very low price. The investigation of the murder is being conducted by the police, if you want to offer your assistance, you should speak to them." She smoothed out her pencil skirt and took a seat. "Although, if you would listen to my opinion, I would advise against it."

"Why is that?" Reid asked.

"How long have you and Mrs. Reid been married?" She asked.

At first, Reid thought it was a change of subject. "Three days, why?"

"Three days, and you're down here asking about a murder you have no obligation to inspect. I'm not married, so I have no experience, but I don't think I would be too pleased if my new husband would rather work than spend time with me… don't you?"

Reid knew she was right, and would give anything if he could just focus on his vacation and his wife, the woman he suffered and fought for, for three years no less. But he couldn't let himself just relax. Not just yet. "Who's the inspector in charge?"

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Marcy reached for a pen and a piece of her stationary. Quickly she wrote the name and number down. "Here," she handed it to him. "Is there anything else?"

"No," he replied, "Good luck, ma'am."

"You as well, Dr. Reid. And I hope you continue to enjoy your stay at the Grislow Hotel." She called bitterly.

He stepped out, leaving the manager alone. She opened the red folder, beginning to read the contents inside, unable to ingnore the feeling she should run out to Dr. Reid and show him the contents.

* * *

><p>AN: Meant to post this yesterday, but got talked into working a double shift. (I still don't know how that happened.) I'm really glad everyone's liking it so far! Keep reviewing, I love hearing from you guys! :)


	5. Inspector Bradbury

Twelve o'clock Quantico time, the remaining BAU members returned, their case solved. It was a bittersweet victory, having caught their unsub, but not in time to save their eleven-year-old victim. Quiet and subdued, they made it back to the unit. They still had a few hours to kill before they could head home and try to forget the horrors from San Francisco. Everyone disappeared into their separate areas, setting to work to get this case over and filed away where they'd never have to see it again.

Hotch closed the door to his office, setting his go bag on his couch. He took a glance out the blinds at Morgan and Emily, sitting at their separate desks in the bull pen. They took a long glance at each other before getting to work.

Files in hand, he went to sit at his desk and get started. Just as he got settled, his phone rang. He heaved a sigh, not wanting to deal with someone else's problems right now. Reluctantly, he grabbed the receiver. "Agent Hotchner."

"Hotch," The strange voice said on the other end, "It's Leonard Bradbury."

Pleased, "Leo, this is a surprise. How are you doing?"

"Business is booming, unfortunately," he replied, the old accent a nostalgic reminder to Hotch's college days. "How are things across the pond?"

"It's not too bad, can't really complain," He leaned back in his chair, listening. "I heard about Maria… I'm sorry."

There was a long silence on the other end, "Thank you. She didn't suffer, so that's something."

"Suffer or not, it's still hard to lose your wife to cancer." He continued. "I wish there was something I could have done."

Bradbury continued on the other end. "Well… I'm just sorry you didn't get to see her before she passed. She always liked you, Aaron."

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral. I just couldn't get away." Hotch explained.

"Well, with your job, it's understandable." Bradbury stated, "Which is the reason why I'm calling. You deal with a lot of severe homicides. I need your expert opinion."

Hotch couldn't help but be relieved. Hearing from his friend just a few days after Reid and Riley arrived in his country was a little too ironic. But he had called to ask for opinions on cases before, this was just a coincidence. Even with the two's history.

"What do you need?" he asked. "I can have my tech analyst research some information if you need it."

"No, I just need your opinion on some of these victims." He explained, "They may not be connected, but it looks a little too ironic for it not to be by the same killer."

Hotch really liked Leo Bradbury, ever since freshman orientation. It was a shame he wanted to work in London. Hotch always thought he'd make a great profiler.

"Well, I won't be able to say for sure without looking over the crime scenes, but I can make a good guess with the facts. Let me hear."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Morgan and Emily avoided each other for the rest of the work day. Emily didn't intend on staying one second past five, even if she did still have fifteen more folders to fill out. It seemed every case, there was more and more forms to go with it.<p>

She was rinsing out her coffee cup, getting it ready for the morning. Tomorrow, she would need all the help she could get to keep her alert. She stood at the sink in the break room, hearing someone walk over.

"Heading home soon, Prentiss?" Morgan asked, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Yes," she replied. "Unless you guys want to grab a drink."

"Can't make it myself," he said flashing her a smile, "I got a hot date tonight."

In an effort not to get too serious about each other, dating other people wasn't disallowed. Emily knew Morgan went out with a girl every once in awhile and he kept up his appearances as the player; flirting with young girls at the bar or entertaining a group of young interns in the morning. She wasn't sure if he slept with any of them and wouldn't let herself even think of it. It would just torture her with jealousy. Besides, Morgan never asked her about her dates, she gave him the same courtesy. If he had, he would find out she hadn't seen anybody in a very long time.

"Oh," she sighed. "With who?"

"That hurts, Princess," He replied. "I have everything planned for your perfect evening and you act like it's nothing."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Tonight? You want to do this tonight?"

"Yeah, why not? I told you, when we get back to Quantico-"

"Yeah, but after a case like this… I figured you wouldn't be in the mood." She turned to look at him, the lukewarm water running over her pruning hands.

"I can't think of a better way to get this case off my mind." He said with a shrug, "You in or not?"

Emily was a little disappointed. They had only decided on this night yesterday, they hadn't even been home half a day, how much effort was he really going to put into it? "You need me to do anything? Bring anything?"

"Just you." He gave her a wink.

Emily flushed a soft pink as she smiled. One thing she had always noticed about Morgan, he could make any girl in the world feel beautiful and important. Letting out a sigh, "Okay, what time?"

"My apartment, eight o'clock," he stated. "Make sure you look foxy, not that you have much work to do there."

With that, he stepped away. She finally shut off the water, setting her mug in the dish drainer. Wiping her wrinkled hands on a paper towel, she couldn't help but be excited for tonight. Mentally, she ran through her wardrobe, trying to decide what outfit would be perfect to drive him wild.

* * *

><p>"The battle took place in 1805, which was a victory for the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars." Reid mentioned as he and Riley spent the afternoon exploring the famous Trafalgar Square, located in the heart of London.<p>

"I know," Riley stated as they walked around the large fountain. She sat down, the concrete freezing her legs through her jeans. She clutched Reid's hand, pulling him to join her. "Ever since we decided to come here, you've given me enough information to write a history book on the entire country."

"Is that a bad thing?" Reid asked, sitting beside her.

"No," she replied smiling, "But you're supposed to be enjoying yourself. Your mind needs a vacation, too, you know." She leaned in closer, wrapping her free hand around him to pull him closer. "I've a got a few ideas how to shut your brain off, but you've got to meet me halfway, Sweetheart."

Reid smiled as they met in a kiss. Not caring if they were making a spectacle of themselves in a foreign country, his hand slipped around her waist landing on the hem of her jeans. The mist of the fountain lingered next to them. It reminded him of their kiss in Seattle, standing on the street, the first kiss after being apart for seven months. He'd been in agony every day over how much he wanted her back. Never did he imagine they'd one day be on their honeymoon.

Her hand went to his cheek as their kiss broke, matching his gaze with her sparkling brown eyes, filled with their usual diamond dust. "You're so cold." She uttered.

"Not really," He replied, leaning on her forehead. Why couldn't he just get lost in the moment like he usually did? He wanted to be here, all of him. He wanted to give his full attention, and in turn take hers, but there was a part of him that just couldn't be silenced. Maybe it was just his instincts and training that wouldn't let him focus on anything but the case… he hoped desperately that was the reason.

"Are you okay?" she asked, leaning away from him. "You seem so distant."

"I'm just tired," He replied.

She wasn't convinced, looking over him with worry. "Is something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not." He affirmed, his one hand left her waist and slid onto its favorite spot on her thigh. "I didn't sleep well. I'm trying to have a good time... I just can't seem to relax."

She fixed him with such a stare, and Reid was afraid at first she was mad. But after a moment, there was a familiar spark about her face he recognized. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking…" Riley said, both her hands grasping his. "How would you feel about separating for the rest of the day?"

"What for? Am I holding you back?" He asked, partly joking.

"No, it's not like that," Riley replied, "I was just thinking that you could go back to the hotel and take a nap or read or do whatever you want to regain your energy and I'll go shopping."

"No, I'll go shopping with you." He argued.

"You can't," she said with a smile as she got to her feet, "Because what I'm going to buy is a surprise." Reid got to his feet, standing with her, listening as she continued, "You go to the hotel and rest, I'll meet you back there at six and we'll go out dinner. And tonight… after we get back," she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I will put on something very alluring and spend the entire evening getting you comfortable."

"Uh… that sounds… like a plan," He felt tormented; any other time, he'd barley be able to speak at that idea. Reid held her as close as possible, slipping his hands into her long black winter coat, the better to feel her body. "But I'll go with you. I don't like the idea of you going off in a strange city by yourself."

"Oh, I'll be fine." She whined, "You're not going to enjoy anything if you fall asleep beforehand." He wasn't convinced, and she continued to press. "I'll take a cab everywhere I go. They know the city better than anyone. If I recall, the cab drivers are not allowed to use GPS, but have to pass The Knowledge, a test of all the streets in the city of London."

"Wow, that's impressive," He replied, "Where did you learn that, Mrs. Reid?"

"From this really smart guy I know," She leaned up, her hand running up into his long hair as her lips brushed teasingly against his, "He taught me all about London. He knows lots of trivia and information, about everything. It's pretty much useless, but he's so sexy when he's outlandishly smart."

He smiled, meeting her in a kiss. As they pulled apart, Reid took her hand and started to lead her from the square. "So what are you going to buy?"

"Oh, you'll see." She flashed him a bewitching grin.

The hotel was within walking distance. After one more kiss, Reid put Riley into a cab and they parted ways. He watched until the car was out of sight, then headed for the bus stop.

Reid did not go back to the hotel. He hadn't been looking for the opportunity to get away, but now that he had it, Reid needed to take advantage. He didn't want Riley to find out how involved he was getting into this murder, but if he could just speak to the inspector, maybe he could get it out of his mind and enjoy the rest of his trip.

It was fascinating how the man in charge of the investigation was the same contact Hotch had given him at the wedding. Being his boss's old friend, it might not take much convincing for Reid to learn about the case. He wasn't sure why he was so attracted to this. The smartest thing to do would be to just ignore it. That's what anyone else would do, maybe that's what a sane person would do. But Reid's mind had always been different. He couldn't leave it alone.

The bus ride wasn't very long. Reid got off at the closest stop. It was after five now. He didn't have much time if he was going to get back before Riley. He went in through the public entrance as fast as his skinny legs would take him.

"Excuse me," Reid said as he reached reception. The young officer greeted him with a questioning glare. "I'm here to speak to an Inspector Leonard Bradbury, is he in by any chance?"

"I'll have to check," the young girl said speaking with a strong Liverpool accent. "And what is this in regards to?"

He couldn't tell her he was here about the case. She would need to see credentials and visas and confirmation from Bradbury himself. "Just tell him that Dr. Spencer Reid is here and that I work with Aaron Hotchner."

Further confused, the young officer stood and went into the station. Reid was left alone in the lobby.  
>There wasn't much activity in the place. There was commotion in some of the adjoining rooms, talking, paper shuffling, the sound of a few phones ringing. He checked the watch over his sleeve. It was twenty past five now. He was running out of time. All he had to do was discuss this with Inspector Bradbury. Then, it would be out of his system.<p>

The officer returned with an older gentleman behind him. He overlooked Reid in question, but didn't seemed bothered by his appearance. If he knew this man better, he'd say he was concerned.

"Dr. Reid?" He asked coming to his side of the desk.

"Yes," he answered.

"Hello, I'm Inspector Leonard Bradbury," he said, offering his hand. "Aaron told me you and your wife would be in the city. He wanted to keep me on alert in case you needed any help."

Reid accepted his hand, "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, actually. Aaron always brags about his team when we talk." He said with a smile.

"Does he?" Reid asked, staggered. Hotch cared about the team, there was no doubt about that. Whenever one of them was in trouble, he'd give both his life and career to help. But he never seemed very prideful about them or his family. Indeed, Reid learned more about Jack through Riley than through his own father.

"Oh, yes, he's very fond of all of you." Bradbury confirmed. "In fact, I just got off the phone with him in my office."

That was eerie. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes, I called him," He explained, "I needed some help on a case I'm working on. But I won't bore you with those details. What seems to be your problem, Dr. Reid?"

"Well… I don't want to waste your time," He explained, checking his watch. Twenty-five after. "But… I heard you were involved with the double homicide at the Grislow Hotel yesterday."

He was startled, "How did you hear about that? If you don't mind my asking."

"I learned the murders took place in the honeymoon suite… my wife and I were supposed to have that room after the McClarens."

"Oh," was his startled response, "I wasn't aware of that. What can I do for you?"

"Well… you know I work with Aaron Hotchner, so you know what I do for living." He feared the outcome of this and was beginning to regret coming here. He shouldn't be concerned with this. He wasn't even supposed to be working; it would be just like calling the team to question how their latest case was going. "I couldn't help but be curious about the crime… what information you had… if it were connected to any other murders… and I wanted to help anyway that I could."

Bradbury hesitated at first. He suspected he wanted to ask Reid for his help, but knew rules and regulations prevented him from doing so. "Well, Dr. Reid… I admire you taking the time to come here and offer assistance. I'm sure your wife is waiting for you-"

"Actually, she doesn't know I'm here." At that, his hands went into his pockets again. "I was just curious about these murders. I had a terrible feeling about them… and I'm not one to believe in signs, but… over the last three years, I've learned when I have such strong gut feelings on something like this… I shouldn't ignore them."

"Is that a fact?" He asked, partly amused.

"Well, if I ignored them, I probably wouldn't be married right now." He said with a nervous smile.

The expression on Bradbury's face turned very soft, almost sad. "I can appreciate that, Dr. Reid." He recovered with a deep breath and a friendly smile. "I would love your assistance. I do have to be honest… the McClarens are not of a single event. Off the record, it's very similar to a few others that have happened in the city over the last two months… but I don't have enough evidence to justify it as a serial murder case. And until then, I can't validate showing you anything. I hope you understand."

That was enough for him. He wasn't responsible for this case in the first place. Now knowing there was nothing he could do should have been sufficient. He could have just accepted that and left. Instead, he nodded, "If any new information comes up to change that effect, feel free to contact me."

"Thank you, Dr. Reid," Bradbury was very pleased with that. "Aaron said you were almost as kind as you were smart."

Reid was becoming further stunned. "I'm sorry, Inspector, you are talking about Aaron Hotchner, correct? About six feet, dark hair, hardly ever smiles?"

Bradbury could only laugh, "Have a good trip, Dr. Reid. And if you need anything, I believe you have my number."

With that, he headed back into the station. The officer at reception continued staring at him, waiting for him to leave. He took the hint and hurried out to the doors. It was half past five now. He had to hurry if he were going to get back in time.


	6. The First Date

The dress was red. A deep red, almost a burgundy. Sleeveless, fastened at the collar and wrapping around her curves, sliding down to a few inches above her knee. It wasn't anything that she intended to torture him with, but she hoped he would like it.

With that idea came the thought that Emily was trying too hard. After all, she and Morgan had been sleeping together for a year. She shouldn't be trying to impress him. What they had was great, it was the result of it that wasn't fair. She had a completely detached relationship with someone she got along so well with. Because it seemed despite the subterfuge at work, and despite the sex (and amazing sex at that), Morgan was still one of her closest friends. There was nothing awkward between them. At any other time in her adulthood, this would be perfect. It was the first time in her life she wanted more.

But that was what stopped her. Emily would not run the risk of losing him, let alone ruining their friendship and partnership. If this was the most she could have of Derek Morgan… it would have to be enough.

Not wanting to seem too eager, Emily did not show up right at eight. Twenty minutes passed, she parked on the street outside Morgan's place. Hurrying in her black leather boots, she walked down the collection of townhouses to reach his door.

Arriving, she first thought to just walk right in. But, even after a year, they still had a respect for each other's space. She raised her hand to knock and noticed a post-it hanging over the number. It's open was all it read.

Opening the door, the first thing she expected was Clooney to run and greet her. They usually spent their evenings at Morgan's place because of the dog. She didn't mind. His place was much warmer and comfortable than hers, and Clooney the German Shepherd seemed to really like her. Morgan claimed he was a moody dog who didn't accept people too quickly. He had yet to warm up to his mother and sisters. Emily wasn't sure if that were true. He seemed to take to her right from the start.

But there was no dog. Nothing came to the door. In fact, most of the house was dark. "Morgan?" she called. "Morgan?"

"Back here," he called further in the back of the house.

Her heels clicking on the hardwood floor, she moved down the foyer, through the living room where she left her purse on the coffee table, and past the bedroom; closed, she noticed. She moved carefully down the hall towards the kitchen. Before she reached it, she noticed the sliding door opened. Stepping out onto the enclosed patio, she gasped.

The room was decorated with at least a dozen candles, giving off a subtle hint of vanilla. Mixed with them were bouquets of flowers: yellow roses with lavender. There was soft contemporary music playing and in the center of the patio was a small table with two place settings. Two slender candles sat on the table, each with a flame.

Her eyes finally found Morgan, dressed head to toe in black. The same suit he wore to Reid's funeral… and the first night they were together. She wondered if that had been on purpose.

"You're late, Prentiss." He stated as soon as she met his eyes.

"It's spectacular." She replied in a breathy exhale.

His face spread into satisfied smile. Leisurely he made his way around the table. "I take it, then, you're impressed?"

"How did you manage this in just a few hours?" She asked, unaware how brightly she was beaming at him.

He slipped his arms around her, pulling her close, "Reid is not the only one who's a magician." He replied, leaning into her, "I just work a different kind of magic."

She giggled as he met her lips. His arms enfolded her close, though she noticed he kept his hands stationary. Usually, during a kiss like this, even if it weren't going to lead to anything, she would feel his hands along her curves. She loved his touch, even through her clothing. But this was nice… like he were trying to show more respect for her.

"Where's Clooney? He usually meets me at the door."

He pulled away as he answered, "He stays down the block with my friend's family when I'm out of town, I'll pick him up in the morning. That way it's just us." Morgan slipped his hand into hers and led her over to the table. "Glass of wine?"

"Please," she replied. She smiled again as he helped her into her seat. "You know… you're the first man to pull out my chair like that. Besides my own father."

"You deserve better than that, Princess; it's long over due." He replied, pulling a bottle out of an ice bucket next to the table. He thought for a moment, realizing something, "I've met your mother… but I don't think you've ever told me anything about your father."

She was not very open about the more personal matters of her life. Despite etiquette, she folded her arms over the table, watching as Morgan let the wine breathe a moment. She could tell him; she trusted Morgan with her life, she could talk about her family. It wasn't like she was embarrassed of her father or anything. "Well… I'm sure you suspect, he's not your typical dad."

"What's he work for? Intelligence? Secret Service? Homeland Security?"

"White Noise," she answered.

His hand around the neck of the bottle, he thought about that for a moment. Finally, he looked to her in question. "What?"

"White Noise, it's the name of his band." She explained with a shrug. "He's the guitarist; they have a few albums, they travel all over the country."

"Oh sweet Moses," Morgan replied in shock, "Emily Prentiss is the daughter of a rock star. I can't believe it."

Emily laughed, "Shocking, I know. Mention it to Elizabeth and you'll see her face turn thirteen shades of green."

As Morgan filled her glass, he looked her up and down, processing this new information. "No, you know what… I do believe it. You're too cool to take after your mother, you had to have gotten that somewhere." He moved to fill his own glass. "But explain to me how an ambassador in the state department got involved with a rock musician."

"Actually, they were high school sweethearts." Emily picked up her glass. She took a sip and continued, "George Prentiss was a year older then Elizabeth at Wendell Preparatory High."

Morgan let out a whistle. "That place, wow, that's steep. I can't imagine the tuition wasn't much better in the 60s."

"No, but their parents could afford it. My mother's side is fairly wealthy… but it's nothing compared to my father's.

Morgan was not about to ask how much money the Prentiss family had. It was one of the things that kept Morgan from saying how he really felt about her. He didn't think Emily was at all concerned about the different backgrounds they came from, but even if she wanted to be his girlfriend… soon she would figure how much better she could do.

"Anyway… my father wasn't a bad kid, but he was kind of a rebel. His family had plans for him, involving the Ivy League and then joining his father's law firm. Plans that came over on Mayflower, as they say. But he just wanted to play and write music. Back then, my mother had the same idea. She wanted to make an impact on the world. She thought about joining the Peace Corps and helping third world countries overseas. My mom used to really care about people."

"Your mom still cares about people, I've seen." Morgan said.

"Yeah, but… her career comes first. Anything that's going to hurt her position, she cuts out of her life… like my father, for example."

He could tell she was bitter about the past fallout her parents had. Morgan suspected she blamed her mother for the divorce.

"People change." She continued. "Everybody knows that. When couples change, it either makes their bond stronger… or it rips them apart. They got married the year before my mom finished college. They had been engaged since Senior Prom. They planned to wait until they graduated and could support themselves without family help, but… they had to move up the wedding due to a, shall we say... time sensitive complication."

"Enter Emily," Morgan said with a smile.

"Yeah, exactly," She added with a laugh. "After I was born, my father became a stay at home dad. My mother started working for a politician in New York, my dad would play the clubs at night. She tried to get him to grow up and get a real job… they started fighting all the time… silent treatment all day, screaming all night, believing I couldn't hear them because I was a room away… finally they reached their breaking point."

She looked away for a moment, the memory of it still painful. "They got divorced when I was six. My father had plenty of money and security to take care of a child… but he turned custody over to my mother. He went on the road with his band, I traveled the world with Elizabeth."

"Do you talk to your dad at all?" Morgan asked.

"Oh, all the time," She cried enthusiastically. "I guess I'm kind of a daddy's girl. I haven't seen him in about five years, but we talk almost every week. He knows about work and everyone on the team… I tell him just about everything."

Morgan nodded, "And… does he know… about us?"

Emily fixed him with a skeptical gaze, "What do you think? I can't exactly tell my dad I'm sleeping with a colleague on a regular basis. He knows all about you, he knows you're my partner and one of my best friends… he just doesn't know the reality."

She had suspected that would spark a fight in the middle of what was promising to be a lovely evening, but at last, she relaxed as Morgan nodded. "I can respect that. Believe me, I have not told my mother about this either. I hear enough nagging from her for a grandchild, this would not help."

With a laugh, Emily went to take another sip. Morgan got to his feet. "Ready for dinner?"

"Yes, please," she replied. He headed back inside, leaving Emily alone for a moment.

This was beyond what she had expected. They couldn't go out by themselves, for fear of someone seeing them. The best she hoped for was Chinese food and a movie. Something like this never even crossed her mind. There was no way he accomplished this in a few hours, though. Maybe in a day, but not by being out of town. And yellow roses… did he know those were her favorite? Was he aware that vanilla was her favorite scent? Well, that was a bit more plausible. He always commented on how much he loved her perfume and body wash. Maybe he paid better attention to her than she thought, maybe this wasn't just about sex for him…

He returned a moment later with two plates, setting the first one before her. Emily liked the look of the meal, hoping it tasted just as good.

"Parmesan Chicken," he stated, "with linguini in roasted garlic sauce, and steamed vegetables." He took his seat, giving her a gloating sneer. "Unless, of course, you're too full of crow to eat anything?"

With a friendly scowl, Emily pulled out her napkin. Morgan raised his glass, and Emily followed suit. "A toast, to…"

"Being proven wrong?" Emily suggested.

Morgan corrected, "Actually, I was going to say 'to our first date'."

For a second time, Emily was stunned. But she smiled, "Our first date."

Their glasses chinked and they each took a sip. Both avoiding the others eyes, they began digging into their meal.

As they ate, they talked cheerfully while the soft music wafted around them. The smell of the dinner and the wine mixed with the candles and the roses. It felt more like they were away on some exotic island rather than the enclosed porch of Morgan's townhouse.

"How is everything?" Morgan asked, sipping his wine.

"Wonderful," Emily replied as she twirled the remaining bit of pasta on her fork, "The food is fantastic. Where did you order from?"

He didn't answer. At last, Emily looked up in question. He leaned back in his chair with a conceited expression. Emily's jaw dropped.

"You?" She cried.

"Dessert and all," he enlightened. "Surprised, Princess?"

"Uh…" She stammered. Words seemed to fail her for a moment. "Surprised… is an understatement." Her hand ran her napkin over her mouth. "You can cook. All this time and I never knew."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Prentiss," He said, offering his hand. She gave him a curious expression. "Well, no one's watching us this time. I figured you won't have a problem wanting to dance with me." He gave her a wink.

She smiled and took his hand. Getting to her feet, he swept her in his arms. He held her close, leading her elegantly around the floor. Emily let herself be comfortable against him, inhaling the sweet delicate scent of his cologne. Another song began; the music surrounded them like a gentle cyclone. It was much too appropriate, a thought that didn't escape either of them.

_You give your hand to me and then you say hello_  
><em>And I can hardly speak, my heart is beating so<em>  
><em>And anyone can tell, you think you know me well<em>  
><em>Well, you don't know me<em>

"You may have showed up late, but I'm glad you took my other request seriously." He leaned into her ear, "You look incredible tonight."

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint you." She replied, pulling herself closer to him.

"Prentiss, you could have showed up in sweatpants and a hoodie and you'd still be beautiful." He explained. "But that is a good color on you."

_No, you don't know the one who dreams of you at night_  
><em>And longs to kiss your lips and longs to hold you tight<em>  
><em>I'm just a friend, that's all I've ever been<em>  
><em>'Cause you don't know me<em>

"Thank you. I was hoping it would impress you." She hated that she had just revealed that. She didn't want him to think she was desperate. "So do you do this for all the girls you date?"

"I try to make my women feel special." Morgan shrugged. "I don't usually go to this much of an effort; it depends on how much I care about her."

She didn't seem to pick up on the hint. "Well… I hate to admit it, but… I didn't think you'd pull off anything half as wonderful as this."

"Looks like I managed to make you melt, Princess." He added an extra twitch in his eyebrows, a narcissistic leer on his face.

"You're very unattractive when you gloat." Emily replied with a teasing glare.

He chuckled softly and pulled her closer. For a long time, they danced in silence. She savored his warm breath on her neck. At the same time, Morgan inhaled her perfume. He wanted to touch her all over, kiss every inch of her soft, creamy skin, but tonight was about making her feel special. He would go slowly, wanting to drag this out as long as possible himself.

_For I never knew the art of making love_  
><em>Though my heart aches with love for you<em>  
><em>Afraid and shy I let my chance go by<em>  
><em>A chance that you might love me, too<em>

Emily felt so drunk in his arms and was sure it had nothing to do with the wine. Her head fell onto his shoulder as she closed her eyes, just absorbing the feel of his strong arms holding her. She felt so safe here. Riley had once told her what it felt like being in Reid's arms, that she was home. Emily was beginning to appreciate that. There was no place else she wanted to be, or would ever want to be. Both of them wished this moment could go on forever.

_You give your hand to me and then you say goodbye_  
><em>I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy<em>  
><em>Oh, you'll never know the one who loves you so<em>  
><em>Well, you don't know me<em>

"So… was this the perfect romantic evening you had hoped for?" Morgan asked at last.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head. "More than."

They continued to twirl to the music. The seconds ticked by, mutually trying to develop the strength to speak the truth. "Good, because it's not over yet. We still have dessert. And after that… I have a little something set up in the bedroom. Including candles and yellow rose petals all over the bed."

"Really? Well, I have a rule, Morgan. I don't sleep with guys on the first date."

"Is that a fact? That is a shame." He knew full well that was a bluff.

"Well… I guess I can make an exception. Just this once." She glanced at the opened door. "Shall we?"

"What about dessert?" He taunted. "You need your chocolate."

"I know… that's why I want to go into the bedroom." Her grin turned almost sinful, one finger dragging along his jaw line tantalizingly. He matched her wicked smirk and claimed her lips again.

_You give your hand to me and then you say goodbye_  
><em>I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy<em>  
><em>Oh, you'll never know the one who loves you so<em>  
><em>You don't know me<em>

With one quick, gentle swoop, he lifted her in his arms, never breaking their kiss. Morgan took his time walking through the dark house, carrying her protectively into the bedroom.

_You'll never know the one who loves you so_  
><em>Well… you don't know me<em>

* * *

><p>AN: Just for the record, I don't think Emily's father was ever mentioned on the show. If he was, I must have missed it. As I said before, there are still one or two episodes eluding me. But I always pictured him to be some kind of bohemian rebel.

The song is 'You Don't Know Me', which is performed by several different artists. I think Mickey Gilley did it first, although Michael Buble does a beautiful rendition.


	7. A Perfect Evening

Reid made it back at ten to five. Riley hadn't returned yet. Good, he wouldn't have to explain anything. He didn't want to lie to her, but telling her this would just upset her. It was one thing being preoccupied, but he had actually attempted to get involved with the investigation. That was a little selfish to do on his honeymoon, he knew that. But for some reason, he just couldn't walk away.

Now, though, he'd be able to get it out of his system. He had done everything in his power to help and had been turned down. He was grateful to be out of options and now could focus on the rest of his trip.  
>He sat on the freshly made bed and removed his shoes. His exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him. He lied back on the pillow and closed his eyes, hoping to get ten minutes sleep at least before Riley returned.<p>

Just before six, he heard the door open. Reid hadn't fallen asleep yet, unfortunately, but was happy to see Riley just the same. A beige and pink paper bag was clutched in one hand. She abandoned her shoulder bag in one of the armchairs, glancing at him on the bed.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Riley asked, setting her shopping down.

"No, I hadn't fallen asleep yet," He replied. That wasn't a lie. Keeping the truth may not have been completely honest, but at least it wasn't a lie. "Did you find what you wanted?"

"Yes," she replied with a satisfied smile, "and I think you will be very pleased, Dr. Reid."

He sat up, hoping she'd show him what he had to look forward to. "What did you buy me?"

Setting her coat and scarf aside, she walked over to the bed. Reid loved how she looked in her jeans and oversized lavender sweater. It was an anomaly how her clothing hid her body so well, yet made him want to touch her even more. Riley sat next to him. "You'll see," was her answer, running one hand teasingly over his corduroy leg.

Reid intended to argue, but instead let out a yawn. Riley's smile faded, looking concerned. "Maybe you're too tired to go out tonight. You can rest and… we can go out again tomorrow."

"No," he answered sternly. "No, I neglected you today because I was so distracted. You deserve a night out."

"Distracted, by what?" She asked, not suspecting he was still thinking about the case.

"Anything that's not you these next two weeks is a distraction," He assured. Again, not a lie. He wanted to give her his complete attention. "I want to take you out to dinner, like we planned."

Riley smiled, brushing his cheek. "And then you can find out what's in my bag." She added with a smile.

He grinned with her. "I look forward to it."

"You won't be disappointed." She added. "Now, I'm going to get a shower and get ready for dinner. Why don't you try to take a nap again?"

Reid nodded, "Sounds perfect. Ready to go… say eight?"

"Eight it is." She stood up, leaning to give him a kiss. Her eyes sparkled as she looked over his face one more time, her delicate fingers running through his hair. The feel of those fingers never got old.  
>She slipped her wedding and engagement rings off and set them over on her beside table. At last she headed into the bathroom, taking her shopping with her. Reid watched her until the door closed. He leaned back on his pillow and closed his eyes, trying to figure out how he had gotten this lucky.<p>

* * *

><p>Marcy waited on the corner puffing on a cigarette. It had been a long day. She'd be happy when this whole homicide was behind her and the hotel could get back to normal. She may be young, but she was a more competent manager than her predecessors. The hotel had turned over a bigger profit in her six months working here than the last six managers before her. There were few complaints from the guests and the staff was kept fresh and competent. One employee that didn't meet her requirements, Marcy would drop him without a second thought. She was not here to be friendly, she was here to make money and be successful. The Grislow was only a stepping stone to something bigger, anyway.<p>

At last, the sound of footsteps were behind her on the street. "Sorry," Andrew called a few feet away. "I couldn't get away. Patricia was complaining about a problem in the laundry room."

"What's the problem?" Marcy asked bitterly, letting her smoke out into the chilly air.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her. He met her lips, with the bitter taste of nicotine on her breath. Andrew was not a smoker, but he could put up with it if he had the chance to be with her.

Their kiss ended and she stared at him with a pair of wide, powerful eyes. There was no question who the Alpha Dog was in this relationship. Marcy tossed her butt on the concrete, "So… drink at O'Grady's?"

Even if he refused, she'd force them to go there anyway. He nodded, his hand sliding onto her waist. She pulled herself away. "Later,"

She was such a tease, always making him wait. "You always say later. I don't want to wait for later."

A soft smile spread over her. She acted tough, but there was a sweet loving girl in his Marcy Lemon. "Too bad. You are under my authority, and you will do as I say." She glared at him alluringly. "Understood?"

"Understood." He growled, leaning in for another kiss.

Down the alley next to them came a crash, and Andrew had an uneasy feeling. Their lips separated. "Let's go," he said taking her hand.

They headed down the street. Both had a chilling sensation as they made it down to the intersection, refusing to look behind them. If they had, they may have noticed the shadowy figure peering out at the them from around the alley. It didn't follow, back tracking and heading in the other direction. It had more important people to take care of this evening. Marcy Lemon and her cladestine lover were safe for the time being.

* * *

><p>At eight o'clock, they left for dinner. Nothing could distract Reid from Riley now, from the minute she walked out of he bathroom. She had yet to fail in stunning him, wearing an outfit of a dark blue dress that shimmered when the light hit it, a slit on the side just a few inches below her hip. Her hair swept back in a barrette of a matching color. She knew he loved her hair swept up like that.<p>

The evening was bliss. Time seemed to slip away from them, the only thought pulling Reid away from the moment was the occasional reminder what was waiting for him when they got back. He had to be the luckiest man in the world to have this amazing woman care about him like this, and he began to wonder why exactly he couldn't focus on her in the first place.

Just before eleven, the cab dropped them off at the hotel. Reid wasn't even worried about checking for messages at the desk, wanting to get Riley upstairs as soon as possible. They waited for the elevator. Reid had his arms wrapped around her from behind, both trying desperately to keep their manners in the lobby. Mostly empty, which was no surprise for this time of night, but enough guests so they weren't totally alone.

"Hey," Riley said, turning her head to meet his eyes. "I'm really glad your back."

"What do you mean?" He asked, letting his hand slide down the fabric of her dress, lingering on her exposed thigh.

"It just seems…" she hesitated, trying to find the right words, afraid saying this may ruin their perfect evening, "ever since we got here… you've been really distracted... like you were a million miles away. I was beginning to think you didn't want to be around me."

"That's ridiculous," Reid replied, leaning to place a kiss below her ear. "I'm sorry I've been distant, I wanted so desperately to give you my full attention." He thought for a moment, "Wait… is that why you wanted to go shopping by yourself today?"

"Well… yeah." She replied with a guilty shrug. "I mean, I wanted to do something for you to help you relax… but I thought if I gave you a break from me, I could kill two birds with one stone."

His nose in her rose scented hair, he retorted, "I did not need a break from you. I was just tired and… had trouble shutting my brain off. You were the only thing I wanted to think about." He moved in order to kiss her neck. "But I have managed to clear my head and all I want to do is be with you and celebrate our marriage."

"Oh," she uttered with a smile, "Then I guess you don't need the special evening I've planned."

She felt him grin against her skin. "Well… maybe I'm not completely relaxed yet."

Riley giggled and turned in his arms so she was facing him, meeting his lips. One hand slipped into his hair as he brought her body against him. The guests in the lobby were completely forgotten as they began to lose themselves in the moment, silently begging the elevator to hurry up.

"Dr. Reid?" a voice asked.

Immediately, Reid and Riley pulled apart. They both looked embarrassed, like two teenagers caught in the back of her father's car. They had been joined by Leonard Bradbury, trying to look calm after such a tiring night.

Riley, having no idea who this man was, seemed nervous this man knew her husband's name. Reid had not expected to see him again. He had thought about stopping by before they left, just to say goodbye and a thank you for being so helpful, but that was it.

"Inspector Bradbury," Reid said, trying to stay calm. "This is a surprise. Uh…" he put his arm around her, "This is my wife, Riley. Riley… this is a friend of Hotch's, Inspector Leonard Bradbury."

"Oh," she said, a bit more pleasantly. She offered her hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."

He took her hand, shaking it cordially, "A pleasure, Mrs. Reid. Aaron's told me so much about you. And congratulations on your marriage."

She swallowed apprehensively. "Thank you."

"Is something wrong, Inspector?" Reid asked.

"Well," He paused to clear his throat, "I was going to leave a message for you at the front desk. However, I saw you waiting for the elevator and I thought I would just speak to you directly."

"What about, sir?" Reid looked to Riley, staring at him curiously.

Bradbury took a deep breath. "You asked me to contact you if there was any new information on the case, correct?"

Reid was suddenly interested, barely noticing the confused and worried look on Riley's face. "There was another murder?" he asked.

"A double homicide," He explained, "At another hotel just a few blocks away."

"Are you sure they're connected to the McClarens?" Reid asked.

"Well, we haven't gotten a full report back yet," He explained, "But the man and woman were killed in a similar way as Mr. and Mrs. McClaren, respectively."

Not knowing the facts of the case yet, he didn't know the separate ways the men and women had been murdered. But even now he could tell the MO was the same. "I see."

"I'm sorry," Riley interrupted, "Why exactly are you talking to him about this? We're not here for work."

"I understand that, Mrs. Reid, and I'm sorry, but your husband did offer his assistance." Bradbury explained.

"Oh, did he?" Riley asked, turning to look at him. Reid was too terrified to meet her eyes. "And when exactly did he speak with you?"

Having no idea Riley was not informed after their meeting today, Bradbury answered. "This afternoon, just after five. He wanted to offer his help on the case here in the hotel."

"Is that a fact?" Riley's attention never left him. At last, Reid bit the bullet and turned to her. She gave him a fake smile, "No wonder you didn't get any sleep."

The elevator door opened finally. Riley stepped on without a word. Arms folded over her chest, protecting her like a security blanket. She pressed the button for their floor and waited. Riley wouldn't even look at him. He knew her well enough to know he was in trouble. A lot of trouble, and he didn't know what to say to her. Especially right now with someone watching.

Bradbury took the intuitive to speak up, "Dr. Reid… if you are still willing to help… I can justify your assistance now."

At last, Reid looked to him, "Really?"

"I'm certain both these events are committed by the same killer," he announced, "I don't have proof yet, but I have a hunch the others are as well. I don't believe higher authority would have a problem using your expertise."

The door to the elevator started to close. Reid held his arm on the door to prevent it from shutting him out. It was slow; who knew how long it would take once it separated them? "What can I do?" he asked.

He took a glance at Riley. He seemed to get the message she had not been consulted on any of this. "Please don't feel obligated to help, Dr. Reid… but if you are willing, you could meet me at Scotland Yard tomorrow morning. Say nine?"

Reid didn't know how to answer that. He wanted to help, and now that he knew he could, he wouldn't be able to think of anything else. "Um… I… I'll call you in the morning and let you know if I can make it."

"Very well," He replied, though he sported a kind smile. "I hope to see you then, just the same. And it was nice meeting you, Mrs. Reid."

"Likewise," Riley said, soft and kind. Though the glisten in her eyes could not be denied.

With that, Bradbury left the couple alone. Reid swallowed nervously, stepping on the elevator as if it were taking him to the gallows.

Riley pressed for their level. The doors slid closed. They rose, the car seeming even slower going up. "Are you okay?" Reid asked.

She stood at least a foot away from him. "I'm fine," she replied, her tone dangerously soft. They rode in silence the rest of the agonizingly slow way.


	8. The First Fight

Reid took his time unlocking the door. He could practically feel the anger pulsating off the woman behind him. At last, the skeleton key clicked and released the door. Reid opened it, allowing her inside first. She pushed past him without a second glance.

He didn't know what to say. Right now, her anger was dammed up, waiting to be released. As soon as it was, he would suffer the wrath of his bride, as he had many times before. But they couldn't begin to make up until she got it out of her system.

"Are you okay?" he asked again.

"I said I was fine," she replied, heading into the bedroom.

She tossed her purse on the bed, never looking back to him. Reid took a deep breath, "I know I should have talked to you."

"It's fine, Spencer," she replied, not wanting to look at him, pretending the contents of her suitcase where too fascinating. "If you wanted to just spend the first two weeks of our marriage working, you should have told me. We wasted an awful lot of money this way."

"Riley, please listen to me." Reid cried, joining her in the bedroom. "I didn't plan on this. All I wanted was to spend time alone with you. But… when we found out there was a murder… I couldn't stop thinking about it. I… I… I had to do something."

"Gee!" Riley cried, flashing her brown eyes at him, alive with rage, "Did you ever think, maybe, to talk to your wife about that? Who happens to be a licensed psychiatrist?"

"I didn't want to upset you." He admitted.

She let out a loud, annoyed sigh. "I am so tired of hearing that."

"It's true," Reid affirmed. He stepped closer to her, his hand brushing her arm, trying to get her to face him. She flinched away from his touch. "I know how much you want me to enjoy this trip… because I want it that much, too. For both of us. And I wanted desperately to just forget everything and have fun with you, but... I couldn't shut my brain off. You know… I'm not good at forgetting things."

"Right, you don't forget anything," she replied, gritting her crooked teeth. "Except me."

He was shocked she'd even say that, even if it were just to hurt him. "You know that's not true. You are the first person I think of, always. Anything that's going on in my life, I always consider how it will affect you. You have no idea how tormented I was that I couldn't just focus on you… on us. I'm sorry. I just… I felt like if I have the power to help, I should." He reached to brush aside some of her hair. "Look at it from my prospective. If you met someone here, mentally tormented, having no idea how to feel normal again… would you be able to walk away without helping him?"

She nodded. "Okay, you have a point. I will give you that. But I wouldn't have kept it from you. I would have talked about it with you first because I trust you and value your opinion. I know I'm not as clever as you, but I am smart, and I know how to listen. I do it for a living; it's how we met, remember?"

"I know," he grumbled, hating himself more. "I just… I wanted to get it out my head as soon as possible. I didn't know what else to do, so I… I spoke to the manager this morning while you were in the shower… and she gave me Bradbury's number. It's just a coincidence he's an old friend of Hotch's."

"I don't care who he is or who he knows, that's not the issue here." She stated. "It's not even the fact you went to him, it's that you didn't tell me. If that's what you needed to do, I would have understood. I'm your wife, I'm supposed to help you with your problems the same as you would with mine."

The anger had ebbed from her eyes, morphing into sadness. A few tears leaked out as he pulled her closer, resting his brow on hers. "You're right," he muttered. "I'm sorry… if it had been any other time, I would have talked to you, I would have handled this better. I just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible… I wanted this to just be about us again."

She shrugged. "Okay, fine. I forgive you."

"Really?" He could tell she wasn't sincere.

Riley nodded, trying to stop the slow tears continuing to fall out. Her voice choked a bit as she replied. "Yeah… I don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

She was unable to stop her gentle crying. With his thumb, Reid went to brush away the stream on her cheeks. Still unwilling to look at him, Reid leaned down to kiss her cheek.

His hands slid down to her hips, but Riley's arms remained stationary at her side, refusing to give into him. His lips ran along her jaw line down to the pulse point on her neck.

"No," Riley moaned, shoving him away. "No... Spencer, stop it."

Reid stood up, matching her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Her glare tearful and hateful, she took a long time to reply. "I'm not in the mood."

With that, she pulled away from him. Riley made a beeline for the bathroom, closing the door with a loud snap. Reid felt a twist of guilt in his stomach. He sat down on the bed, his face falling into his hands.

* * *

><p>Over an hour later, Spencer was lying in bed. He wore the blue and white stripped pajamas Riley had bought him one birthday over a year ago. Maybe he thought it would go over well with her, were she ever to come out of the bathroom.<p>

A little after midnight, the door opened. Reid sat up as Riley stepped out in a black baby doll nightgown, barely covering her to the top of her thighs. It was lacy with thin shoulder straps, extremely low cut with red lace over the hems. Her hair was down and brushed, hanging wildly around her. She made no mention of his hanging jaw this time as she approached the bed.

His voice cracked. "If you're wearing that just to punish me, then I can definitely say I've learned my lesson."

"I don't want to wear this." Riley explained, pulling back the covers. "I would just wear my usual pajamas or my jersey. But I didn't pack them. All I brought was lingerie. I didn't think I would need anything else… if even that." She fixed the pillows, punching them down a bit too forcefully.

Reid reached over and took her hand. His touch calmed her. "I'm sorry," he said again.

"I know you are," she said softly, meeting his eyes. This time, she sounded truthful. "And I forgive you."

"You do?" He asked, still skeptical.

She nodded. "I've thought about it for awhile, and… I know you pretty well, Spencer, so I do understand why you did it. A genius yes, but sometimes you don't think things through… so let's just forget about it, alright?"

"You're not mad anymore?" He wanted to be sure.

With a shake of her head, "No… irritated and tired, but not mad. I just want to go to sleep. I'll feel better in the morning. I don't want to talk about this anymore because it's just going to upset me, so let's just go to bed, okay?"

Feeling horrible, he agreed. "Okay,"

With that, Riley climbed into bed. She slipped off her rings and set them on the table before reaching over and switching off the light. The room was bathed in darkness. There was a dim glow from the street lamp outside. A soft white, like the security lights on the football field when Reid proposed. He watched as Riley slid under the sheets and pulled the covers around her, her back to her husband. Reid loved the way her curls spread around her, like a second blanket. He longed to touch her, but knew she needed space. Looking away, he stared at the ceiling.

"I want you to go to Scotland Yard in the morning," she said. "If they can use your help, you should be there."

Reid replied, "They can handle it. I shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place."

"No, you shouldn't have," Riley agreed, "But they want your help, Baby, you have to go."

"The inspectors at Scotland Yard are perfectly capable of solving murders, Riley." Reid stated with certainty.

"I'm sure they are," Riley replied, "I'm not denying that. But they don't have a profiler with your qualifications, including an IQ higher than Einstein. It's not like your assistance would be redundant."

Reid wanted to help. He could feel his mind running over his ideas on the case even as they spoke. "You're more important to me than that. This is our honeymoon."

"Yeah… and it was the McClarens' honeymoon, too." Riley added. "Theirs turned out worse than ours, didn't it?"

He hadn't considered that. "You won't be mad if I go?" He asked.

"No, I want you to go," She said. He could tell she was completely truthful, which was such a surprise when she added, "In fact, I'm going with you."

"What?" Reid asked, "No, you can't."

"Why can't I?" She asked, rolling over slightly to look at him, "We're in England, I have just as much authority over here as you do. I'm pretty good at this stuff, and you liked it when I filled in for JJ. I was more your assistant than a liaison."

"But just because I ruined our vacation doesn't mean you can't have fun," Reid explained. "See the sights, go shopping, enjoy the city. You said you've wanted to come here since you were thirteen."

"Yeah, but we came here together. I won't have any fun without you. I would rather spend the whole day in a police squad room with you then seeing the most beautiful places in the city alone. I'm going with you Spencer, end of discussion."

Her voice was fierce and determined, but she held a small smile. She could tell this was important to him and wanted to help. Reid matched her smile and nodded.

Riley rolled over, her back to him again. "You know I am sorry,"

"Oh, I know," She confessed, "I was mostly just… hurt. I love you, Sweetheart, but sometimes you treat me like a baby."

"What do mean?" Reid asked.

She hesitated, "You always try to keep unpleasant things from me." She replied. It was easier to say this while she was facing away from him. "I realize I brought it on myself… but I thought we were passed the fear of being driven away. You got me, I married you, I'm not going anywhere."

Reid smiled, "You're right, I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you, but you were already nervous something was going to go wrong on this trip, me focusing on it would just… confirm it, I guess."

Thinking about it, Riley knew that was logical. But that gut feeling had yet to go away. Finding out about the murder in the hotel had only reinforced it. Her husband wanting to do his day to day job was not out of the ordinary. That had nothing to do with this awful premonition.

But maybe this was all that would go wrong. "It could be worse," Riley admitted. "We've been through worse."

"More than once," Reid agreed.

"So… you'll call Inspector Bradbury in the morning and tell him we'll be there?" Riley asked.

"First thing, as soon as I wake up," Reid assured.

"Good," Riley replied. "Hopefully, we'll only waste a few days on this."

"I doubt it will take that long." He sounded more confident than he felt. "There's only so much we can do."

"Very true," She nodded. "Well, we'd better get some sleep. It's already after midnight."

This evening was supposed to be wonderful and romantic. Instead they were going to sleep… and going to work in the morning. Some honeymoon. He could only imagine the ridicule he'd get when the team found out about this. Reid was not a very good liar when it came to them. That was the problem when your closest friends were profilers.

"Goodnight, Spencer," Riley said. She had such little feeling in her voice.

"Goodnight, Riley," he replied, sadly.

The room fell silent. Reid doubted he'd get any rest tonight. He stared at the dark ceiling. A few hours ago, Reid was completely at ease with the world. In that tiny window, he was a blissful newlywed with a wonderful wife whose only concern was her husband's pleasure. And he ruined it. Even if they did their duty with the police within a day or so, he doubted they could get that back. Not on this trip. Riley just might stay distant and cold until they got back to Quantico.

"Spencer…" Riley called in the darkness. "I have a question."

"What's that?" He asked.

"How long are you going to lie over there before you roll over and hold me?"

Maybe she wouldn't. With a smile, Reid immediately moved to her side of the bed. He pulled her warm, soft body as close as he could, wrapping himself around her curves. She sighed contently, clutching at his protective arms enclosing her like a cocoon.

"I am sorry," he said again in a whisper.

Her hand stroked his arms, sending a warm tingle through his skin. "I know you are. And I forgive you. I love you too much not to forgive you."

"I promise I will make this up to you." He reached over and pressed a kiss on her cheek.

She entwined his long fingers with hers. "You better," she grumbled with a smile.


	9. Scotland Yard

Despite the exhaustion and the sleep-deprived headache, Emily had never felt so happy and at ease. The next morning, she stood alone in the break room, absentmindedly stirring her coffee, thinking about the best date of her life. After their dinner and dancing, they had spent the rest of the night in the bedroom. The enthusiasm hadn't dispersed once they were in bed, either. Their sex had been more than just a means to satisfy physical needs. It had never been that way; she had always suspected they had a stronger connection than that, considering the countless hours afterward they would spend talking, how easy it was to be comfortable with him. Now, though, it seemed that wasn't just her imagination.

Maybe this wasn't completely one sided. Even if Morgan hadn't been thinking about it… maybe he wouldn't be so turned off to the idea of turning their affair into a real relationship. She had never been so hopeful about that before. With the few previous men she'd managed to get serious with, a relationship seemed more the next step than a confident desire. It wouldn't be long before everything fell apart, but maybe it could be different this time.

Emily Prentiss never thought she would think that. Let alone be secure about it.

She hadn't even noticed anyone had walked into the room. JJ came in for coffee, pouring herself a mug. Leaning against the counter, she stared at the distracted woman for a long time before finally pulling her attention.

"Alright," JJ called, "Who is he?"

Startled, Emily finally realized there was an entire office coming alive around her. "What? What brought that on?"

"Please, Emily, there is only one reason for a woman over the age of thirteen to look like that." She whispered in case of eavesdroppers.

"JJ… it's nothing," She hoped her face wasn't blushing, but that warm sensation in her cheeks could mean only one thing.

"And does nothing have a name?" JJ couldn't hide her pleased smile.

"Does who have a name?" Garcia asked as she brought her bubbly self into the room.

"Just some guy who makes Emily more relaxed than an epidural," JJ pointed out with a smirk.

Garcia shrieked, "Oh my God… I know who it is!"

Emily tried to hide her fear, though her stomach clenched in a vice grip. They were supposed to keep this secret from the team… but maybe he did tell Garcia.

"It's Steve, right?" she asked.

"Who's Steve?" JJ asked, just as confused as Emily.

"The bartender from the wedding." Garcia explained. "You spent an awful lot of time up there and I saw the way he was checking you out."

"It's not Steve," Emily shook her head. She nearly collapsed from the relief.

JJ considered something, "What about that one guy you were seeing? Malcolm, you seemed to really like him. Did you go out with him last night?"

"It's not Malcolm, I haven't seen him in… what, a year." She desperately wanted a change of subject, searching around for something to focus on. Right at the unit doors, she found it.

Morgan stood with a woman at the glass doors. If you could call her a woman, she barely looked legal. Most definitely an intern, her bright blonde hair curled around her in a black dress that did not look regulation, unless she was serving drinks in a cocktail bar.

She recognized that attitude, with the smile and gestures. And the way her manicured fingers kept trailing down his arm made her want to pull out her gun and shoot the whitened smile off her face.  
>That was a bit overdramatic. But still, Emily did not like him talking to her. She didn't even like him looking at her.<p>

Before the girls could notice, she gave a roll of her eyes and a heavy sigh. "I see Morgan's shopping in the Little Miss section this morning."

The girls checked. JJ rolled her eyes. "Well, that's my boy for you." Garcia said with a shrug.

"Still, you think he could set his sights on a girl with more than two brain cells." Emily turned and slammed her mug on the counter, sloshing liquid onto the granite. "I swear, I would like just one day where I don't have to watch him find the next notch in his bedpost."

They both looked at her in shock, "He's a player, Emily, that's what he does." JJ stated. "I mean… I don't see the appeal in that lifestyle, but to each his own. You never cared before."

"I don't care, now," Emily's voice was sharp. She grabbed a paper towel to clean up her mess. "I care just as much about him as he does about me."

She heard Garcia exhale, "I really wish you guys could make up already."

"Yeah, don't you think this fight has gone on long enough?" JJ asked.

"We're not fighting anymore." Emily explained.

"But you certainly don't like each other." She corrected. "The only time I ever see you together is when you have an assignment. We can tell you want to be friends, you just don't know how to get back to normal."

"You were talking at the wedding, what was so different then?"

"I had about five glasses of champagne in me, Garcia, that's what. I could have had a meaningful conversation with my mother." That was a complete lie. Emily had plenty of practice over the years; she could hold her liquor. "I was so drunk, I couldn't even drive myself home."

"And he did it without complaint." Garcia explained, not taking kindly to being yelled at. "I think that could be the opener you need to move past that which has been going on way too long."

Feeling like a rat, Emily thought of a reply. She knew they couldn't stop this mock dislike at work. It was for the protection of the team and their careers… but she hated having to lie to her friends.

She was saved from a statement as Morgan stopped in. "Morning Ladies," Morgan said, stepping in. "Baby Girl, how you doing?"

"Fine, now that you're here," She replied. "Who's your lady friend?"

He hadn't looked to Emily once since he stepped in. That didn't change as he replied, "Oh, that's Cheyenne. She's been working here for three months… said she finally worked up the courage to ask me out." He shrugged with a grin, "I couldn't turn her down. What would that do to her confidence?"

"Great, you can pick her up after her Girl Scout meeting." Emily muttered bitterly. She turned back to replenish the coffee she spilled.

There was a long silence. "Jealous, Prentiss?" Morgan asked.

Emily waited until she turned back around, taking a careful sip. "Of that?" she said after she swallowed. Her eyes narrowed at him a bit. "No. If I feel anything, it's pity. For her."

"Ah, that hurts, Prentiss," He said mockingly, filling his own cup. "All I know is, all three of you would have been jealous if you could have seen the girl I had last night. Now she was fantastic."

He flashed a smile at Emily as he headed into the bull pen. JJ and Garcia took that as an insult for their friend, trying to remain neutral and not take sides. Emily pretended to be mad, not to show her delight at that comment.

"See, if you two just apologized and hugged it out, that wouldn't happen anymore." Garcia said.

Emily was done talking about this and wanted to get to work. "Look, Morgan doesn't bother me. If he wants to be a jerk, that's his business… I can handle it, you don't need to be concerned."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry," Garcia said sadly, "I hate all the stress and dirty looks and I want things back to normal. I just want you guys to be friends again."

"We all do," JJ agreed.

Emily nodded, "I'm sorry, guys… but I don't know if that's possible right now."

With that, she headed into the bull pen. JJ glanced at Garcia, "Well, if they're not going to grow up, then we need to do something."

"Sounds like you have a plan, Baby Doll." Garcia replied.

"A small one," She agreed. "When Reid gets back… we have some work to do."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Emily took a seat at her desk. She avoided looking to Morgan in case the girls joined them. After a quarter of an hour, opening another file, she asked casually, "Are they gone?"<p>

"Yeah," Morgan replied. She looked up to meet his smiling face. "Beautiful performance, Prentiss."

"I try not to disappoint." She replied, trying not to smile and draw attention. "So… when are you going out with Cheyenne?"

He hesitated, pretending to rifle through his desk. "I'm taking her for drinks after work… maybe we'll grab dinner." He glanced at her, "If that's alright with you."

Morgan had gone on dozens of dates over the past year, but this was the first time he'd asked permission. She abandoned her files, not caring if someone saw them talking. "Yeah, it's fine… it doesn't matter how I feel."

"Yeah, it does, Prentiss," Morgan corrected. "I don't want to upset you."

This was not the place for this conversation. She never wanted to have it, to be honest, but the bull pen of the BAU was on the bottom of the list. "I'm not."

"Good." Morgan replied with a nod. "Because if it weren't… you could tell me. I wouldn't go…"

"No, go," Emily said sincerely, "I'm fine with it. And even if I weren't, it doesn't matter. This is the deal we made. It's worked so far, and I'm happy with it. Aren't you?"

No, he was not happy with it. He hadn't wanted this in the first place, but with the job, it seemed the only way to get close to her. A real 'cake and eat it, too' situation. "Yeah," he nodded.

That was disappointing, but what did she expect? She gave him a smile as she stood up, grabbing a few finished files. "Have a good time; don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That doesn't leave much, Prentiss." His eyebrows raised, emphasizing his point.

"You're such a dirty boy," she growled softly, pretending to search for something in order to continue talking. "Since you won't be coming over tonight, you want to go to my place at lunch?" Her eyes caught his quickly.

"Definitely," he replied. "I'll leave at 12:30 and meet you there."

She could stall no longer. "Remember, the key is taped under the fire extinguisher." She whispered, walking past him, folders in hand.

Morgan watched her walk away, loving her every move. He'd much rather have drinks and dinner with her.

* * *

><p>Though they had to go to work, Reid and Riley were both in good spirits the next morning. The streets were cold and quiet, minimal people were around. This wasn't much of a residential area, either. A few apartment buildings were nearby, but they were more for wealthy occupants, not the average daily worker. The threat of rain was upon them as they waited for a cab.<p>

Just before eight, they made it to Scotland Yard. Inside the squad room was much like the other police stations the BAU team had visited. There wasn't much commotion yet, most of the detectives gathered in morning activities. A few questioning glances landed on them as they were lead to the conference room by another young constable.

Inspector Bradbury was already waiting for them inside with two other people. "Dr. Reid, Mrs. Reid, good to see you this morning. We're happy to have your assistance, from both of you."

He seemed to be the only one of the three who had that opinion. "Well, we're happy to share our expertise."

"These are Inspectors Oliver Paul and Evelyn Eden," Bradbury said, introducing them. "They've been working the case with me these last two months. They have everything you'll need to know."

"I hear you're supposed to be on your honeymoon." Inspector Eden muttered, almost gloatingly. "It's an odd way to spend a holiday."

"How did you spend your honeymoon, Inspector?" Reid asked.

Riley looked at him in question as Eden replied, "I'm not married."

"You were," Reid pointed out. "As the fading band on your ring finger implies, and I assume it was recently. Your attitude doesn't suggest someone who would… hang on to something once it was officially over. Which means you didn't stop wearing your ring until the divorce was final, also telling the decision for severing the marriage wasn't yours."

He suddenly realized he was stepping over the line. "I don't mean to offend you… I just know how to read people."

She fixed Reid with a cold stare, the sting of her broken marriage fresh in her mind. "Leo, can we get started, the sooner we catch this killer, the better… unless the Yanks disagree."

Everyone took a seat around the table. Riley let out a whisper, unheard by everyone but her husband. "Oh, it's going to be a long day."

* * *

><p>AN: I'm so sorry this is kind of late. I've said before, without a laptop, I've been using my sister's Mac book. I'm getting ready for a big event at work this weekend so with extra shifts and exhaustion, I've had little time to use it or get much writing done. Don't worry, I didn't abandon it. Forgive me! Please review! :)


	10. DoppleGanger

First thing first, they needed to explain the facts and evidence in the case. "Two months ago," Inspector Bradbury said as the group got settled, "JoAnne Taylor and Kevin Philips from Norfolk were found murdered in their hotel room. According to family members, the two had been engaged for three weeks and were in London for the weekend to find a place for their wedding.

Lisa and Thomas Abignale were a married couple from New Castle. They were moving to London and were looking for a place to live, staying in the flat of a friend while he was in Paris. They weren't discovered until the tenants reported a heavy stench. There's no solid evidence to concur, but the coroner believes they were killed the same way as Taylor and Philips.

"John and Carrie Simmer, a husband and wife, were on holiday when they were found dead in their hotel room at The Towers. The murders were similar to the first double homicide, but not enough where it could be justified as the same case."

Paul and Eden said nothing. They stared at Reid in awe, reading through the files faster than Bradbury could explain them. "I assume the McClarens were next." Reid said, passing another file to Riley, skimming the information at her own pace as she listened.

"Correct, and lastly was the fifth double murder. Richard and Annette DeBois, on holiday from Montreal. A third consecutive murder is enough to justify it's a serial. They were staying at the Hotel Cantor, not far from the Grislow."

"0.23 miles," Reid specified without missing a beat. Paul glanced at his partner, trying to determine how this young man could calculate that in just his head, in a second no less. "The flat was less than two miles from those hotels, where were the first victim's staying?" He asked, looking to Bradbury for confirmation.

"The Waterfall," He replied, "It's a small motel with an ill reputation."

"A young engaged couple, probably wanted to save most of their money for the wedding." Paul said, making sure they remained involved with the investigation.

Reid stood to examine the map of London on the wall behind Bradbury. He quickly identified a tiny spot that was the motel. "It's South East, within walking distance of the Grislow, the Cantor and the Towers." He turned to the others. "Well, that establishes the unsub's comfort zone. He either works or lives within this triangular area." He indicated the invisible lines with his pinky finger."

"Unsub?" Eden inquired, her tone bitter.

"It's a term we use in the FBI, it stands for 'unknown subject'." Reid replied apologetically.

"How exactly were the victims' killed?" Riley wondered.

"The Debois autopsy reports have yet to be returned, but at first appearance, they were killed just as the others." Bradbury began to explain. "In the previous homicides, the women were heavily sedated first, a mixture of different narcotics and muscle relaxers."

Riley looked over the first autopsy report, to read the stomach contents. She reconginzed every medication and knew their side effects. "This wasn't the cause of death, though... these drugs together in these amounts... they would paralyze her, definitely, but not kill her."

Bradbury gave a nod, pleased she was on track. "Precisely. While the woman was paralyzed, the man was brutally bludgeoned. Once he was dead, the killer - or unsub as you put it - slit the woman's throat and left before she bled out."

"Slit throat…" Reid muttered, reading the coroner report over Riley's shoulder. "Slicing the carotid artery indicates he wanted the women to go quickly. He didn't want them to suffer."

"Then why kill them at all?" Paul wondered.

Reid didn't want to jump to conclusions. Truthfully, there were half a dozen reasons why the unsub would kill them this way. It could be a sign of remorse, he was sensitive to killing women, he just wanted to keep his identity secret. Words in folders and files could lead them in all kinds of directions. "In order to decide that, I need to see the bodies myself."

"I was under the impression just by reading the files, you'd be able to determine this killers personality." Mumbled Eden, her arms folded.

That's what a lot of people thought. Reid had believed that himself when he was a rookie. "Profiling isn't an exact science. It's more of a well educated theory, but there are a lot things you can tell about a killer's personality that most people don't notice, even the killer himself. Usually on the victims and the crime scene. He looked up expectantly at the three, "Is there any way I can see those?"

Paul and Eden looked to each other, as if suspecting this would happen. Reid was used to this attitude by now, the locals feeling as if he were infringing on his territory. Bradbury thought broodingly for a moment, then nodded. "I'm ordered to keep your involvement to a minimum. I can't take you to the crime scene, I can't validate your involvement in the field, not just yet… but I can justify a visit to the morgue. Inspector Eden will go with you."

Eden sighed with annoyance. "Why don't you take the cowboy, Leo. You're the one who actually asked for his help. I can stay with Paul and help the misses."

"No, Evy, you'll go," Bradbury ordered. "You're the one with the medical background, you'll be best in assisting Dr. Reid."

Reid was considering what she had said, "I suppose my job could be considered a denomination of herding, spending my time keeping criminals from running amok is similar to driving cattle."

"Pardon?" Paul asked, confused looks from everyone, including his wife.

"Inspector Eden called me a cowboy… but now that I think about it, she may just have been insulting my nationality.

Eden paused a moment, confused. At last, she turned to Riley, "Is he always like this?"

"Usually," answered Riley with amusement.

"Wonderful," Her voice dripping with disdain. She began to get to her feet. "Let's be off then, Dr. Reid."

He attempted to get on her good side by obeying her command. He got up slowly, meeting Riley's amused eyes. "So… going to the morgue… is just offering assistance?"

"I need to know everything I can about the victims in order to make a full profile." He explained, sitting next to her again. His hand reached for hers on the table, squeezing it. "I promise, we won't be here that long."

She looked adoringly into his eyes, giving a smile. This selfless attitude of his, this need to help the innocent and unprotected, was one of the reasons she had fallen in love with him. Reaching over, she gave him a kiss, careful to keep her manners in the room. "Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

Reid gave her a kiss on the temple as he stood, following the disdain inspector out the door. It was just one day anyway. They had each other for the rest of their lives, she could sacrifice one day.

* * *

><p>Eden drove to the morgue. Reid was grateful, considering he had enough trouble driving in America. The car ride was silent, the officer wanting nothing to do with this young man, jeopardizing her work. Reid glanced at her a few times, wanting to strike up a conversation. They could at least talk about the case. But her frigid body language prevented any words from escaping.<p>

They pulled onto the street, parking just a few feet from the morgue. Reid climbed out of the car, looking up at the slightly rundown building, looking more like an old warehouse. "And to think, you might not have seen the morgue otherwise." Eden flashed him a bitter smile as she passed him to the front door.

That couldn't be more true. The night before his wedding, Reid lay on Morgan's couch unable to sleep. His mind was alive. He thought about the next day, fantasizing about his bride and her dress and the first day of their lives together, but he also thought about the honeymoon. He had a list of places he planned to take Riley, the famous spots of the city and a few specific places that would only be an interest to certain people. Of everything he imagined, the morgue never crossed his mind.

He followed Eden inside the cool building. It seemed so dark with such low lights. No wonder these places were so popular in horror films. Of course, the dead bodies did help.

Eden announced their arrival, flashing her police badge. Reid felt an urge to pull out his own, but knew it was useless. They were listed as Inspector Eden and Guest, which Reid found almost amusing. The receptionist alerted the coroner they were here and the two sat down to wait. Silence again.

This meant nothing to her. She grabbed a magazine and started flipping through, like she were waited for her turn with the dentist. It was sad. These people had been important to someone, they were ripped away from the world to satisfy the needs of a mentally unbalanced person. And then they were nothing but names on a toe tag. The aftermath of a murder.

"Evy?" The coroner asked as he stepped out.

She gave a smile, setting her magazine aside and standing up. "Alex," she cried, hurrying over. "How are you?"

"Oh, fine," Reid stood as the man gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Still keeping the city safe?"

"For the most part." She glanced behind her and rolled her eyes. "Alex, this is Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI, he's here to see the victims in the couple homicide case."

"FBI?" he asked, looking to Reid curiously. "Has this become so serious, they're calling in reinforcements from all the way across the pond?"

"My involvement wasn't intentional." Reid explained, stepping over. At least Alex was offering his hand, which he promply accepted. "I was here for... other matters."

"He's on his honeymoon." Eden said with a sneer.

Reid glared at her, liking her less the longer they spent together. Alex gave a laugh. "Well... I can recommend a good divorce lawyer."

"My wife and I are fine." Reid nodded. He couldn't help feeling after all the trouble he caused he deserved this. "And the sooner I see these bodies, the faster I'll be able to get back to her, so shall we?"

His words only brought a colder expression to Inspector Eden, but the coroner was offended. He gave a nod, indicating the swinging doors. "Right this way."

They followed him inside the next room. The autopsy room, colder and darker than the waiting area. His eyes landed on the closed drawers lining the wall. No matter how many bodies he looked at, the sight of those drawers still unnerved him.

Alex moved aside a table holding another body he'd been working on. He walked to the drawers, opening the first one, rolling it out and pulling back the sheet. A young woman with red hair. The one beside it followed, this one revealing a sandy haired man. "These are the Simmers, their family wants them shipped to the funeral home tomorrow. It seems you got here just in time."

A few rows down, he pulled out two more. "I'm sorry, the first victims were already checked out, the second were too decomposed to remain here." As he pulled the second sheet away, he announced "These are the McClarens."

The man was older, gray was mixed with his jet black hair. He was older than his bride... a dark brunette with soft curls.

Reid didn't want to admit how affected he was by her, noticing how much she looked like Riley. There couldn't be more than ten years difference between them. Death always made things seem so final and random, no matter who the victim was. Staring at a doppleganger of his new wife just made things worse. He wondered if this man loved her as much as he loved Riley... how had they found each other? Did the McClarens fight as hard as they did to be together? One minute they were a happy couple with their whole lives ahead of them... and now they lying side by side in refrigerated drawers.

He hadn't realized how long he'd been staring at Mrs. McClaren, nor that Eden was staring at him, watching him cautiously. "Dr. Reid?" She asked, much more softly than before. "Do you notice anything about the bodies?"

He came back to reality, realizing he was supposed to be working. The sooner he got done with this, the sooner he got back to Riley. Alex handed him a pair of rubber gloves so he could begin profiling the bodies. Reid moved to man first."

"Wound in the back of the head suggests the attack was a surprise." Reid indicated, "This alone would have been cause of death, the overkill was personal. This person certainly had a grudge against men."

"All men?" Eden wondered, looking over his shoulder as he examined.

"I can't say for sure, but from the looks of it... alpha males." He stood up, looking over the sculpted abdomen, now covered in post-mortem bruising. "This man is older, in good physical shape, well groomed. He had to have a high paying, prestigious job. Look at the wife he chose." He glanced at Alex. "What's the age difference between these two?"

"Mr. McClaren was... 47." Alex said, checking the toe tag, he turned to look at the pedicured toe on the other side. "Mrs. McClaren was... 22."

"More than a twenty year age difference. Girls don't marry older men without money and looks attached." Reid indicated. He glanced at John Simmer down the line. "Mr. Simmer may have been younger, but he fits the profile of an alpha. Whoever did this was angered by an alpha male at previous point in his life."

Gathering his strength, he moved to look over the wife. Inspector Eden followed. "So... what do you think? His wife ran away with a tougher man and it turned him mental?"

"No," He answered determinedly. His rubber fingers lifted a few dark curls to examine the first penetration of the knife wound. "If that were the case, he'd more than likely bludgeon the female as well. I'd think he's more angry at a father figure, like a stepfather or uncle, someone who's probably not blood related, either."

"Okay, if he's not angry at women, why killed them?" Eden wondered. "If they paralyzed, they haven't seen them."

"We don't know that." Reid corrected. "But whether they did or not, I'd suspect there's an emotional reason why he's killing the women. He does it quickly... there's no other injuries, no rape... and the amount of drugs in the system would keep them from feeling pain..."

It suddenly dawned on him, having encountered an unsub with similar motives before. "It's not murder."

"Suicide?" Eden asked, skeptical.

"No, I mean... it's a mercy killing." His fingers messed her curls a bit, setting them back against her neck. "He's putting the women out of their misery."

Eden was surprised he figured that out. That was certainly something she and the others wouldn't think of on their own. "What misery is he saving them from?"

At last, he looked up, meeting her questioning eyes. "I don't know."

* * *

><p>AN: I meant to post this earlier, but I got home late. (The laundromat was a nut house.) Please excuse the proof reading, I can barely keep my eyes open. Review guys, you're all awesome! :)


	11. Questions

Just before noon, Reid and Inspector Eden left the morgue, heading back to the unit. Reid gave a yawn as he settled into the passenger seat, the lack of sleep catching up on him again.

"What time is it back home?" Eden wondered, taking a glance at him as she started the engine.

Was she actually trying to start a conversation with him? "It's 7 am in DC. Normally, I should just be getting up for work."

"It must be quite a shock to your body, changing your sleep patterns like this." She mentioned as they joined the flow of traffic.

"Actually I'm used to traveling. I travel all over America with my team, and I when my team and I work cases, we don't get much sleep. This isn't particularly the same, but it's only a minor adjustment." He replied.

It was a surprise that her attitude had softened towards him a bit. She gave him a small smile. "I apologize, Dr. Reid, for being so... short with you earlier."

"I understand." Reid replied. "Every city I go to, the local police aren't thrilled with our involvement, even if they requested it."

"Well... I've dealt with law enforcement from America before... NYPD, a few from Los Angeles and Seattle, I've even dealt with a few FBI members, although those were here for lectures.. and they were very condescending and narcissistic... as if to say they can do our jobs better because they're Americans." She glanced at him again. "I expected you to be like that, but you're not... and I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." He assured. "But I accept it, thank you."

She was silent for a bit and Reid sensed she was considering something. His suspicions were confirmed as she said, "May I inquire something?"

Reid was curious about something himself. "Tell you what, I'll give you a question for a question."

"Alright," she agreed. "Your question first, you are the guest."

"Bradbury said something about you having a... medical background," He began, "I was just... curious as to what that was."

She had the same demeanor when he revealed her divorce earlier. Eden was quiet for several minutes, and Reid wondered if she were debating to answer or not. But it seemed her question was too much to ignore, and so gave in. "I used to be a doctor."

"Used to?" Reid pressed.

"Now I get two questions." She smirked, but it faded as she continued. "I was a doctor, that's how I know the coroner, Dr. Hillman. We went to school together... I was in my second year of residency... I wasn't even a resident yet and... I... did the one thing every doctor does and needs to comes to terms with... and I couldn't."

"You killed someone." Reid clarified.

"It was a mathematical error. I meant to order a certain amount of medication over four hours... and I ordered the amount for every hour for four hours." She cleared her throat. "I resigned and gave up my license before it was even brought to the board. It devastated my marriage which went through several years of reconstructing until finally he gave up... and I decided I wanted a career that I could... redeem myself."

"That must have been difficult, I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to embarrass you before-"

"No, it's alright," She gave him a half smile. "It was unexpected, but there was no one in that room besides your wife who didn't know about my divorce or what I did. Which brings me to my two questions."

"One," Reid indicated.

"Why in the world would you forfeit your honeymoon to work on a murder case, in a country you have no jurisdiction in, no less?" Eden wondered.

Reid let out a light laugh. "I wish I knew the answer to that question... Riley and I have been through so much... there was a time I thought I'd never see her again, let alone be her husband... and then this murder case appeared and I couldn't let it go. I feel horrible I can't give her the honeymoon she deserves, but... I had to do this."

Letting out an amused chortle, "She must really love you if she's so understanding."

"She must," He smiled stupidly. "And two?"

Her next inquisition was more about the case. "How are you certain that this... what did you call it, unsub, how do you know he's after alpha males? Won't he choose any target that's an easy access?"

"Believe me, if murder were that simple, it would be a lot easier to catch these people." Reid replied. "Most serial killers are obsessed with one particular kind of victim - looks, race, gender, age, height, likes, dislikes - something that sets him off. And by killing him, it's a surrogate to the person he truly wants to kill - or love, or avenge, there are various reasons why different people kill, but usually only one for each particular person. He may also feel sympathetic for the type of woman he's with... which are usually they're the same. Young, beautiful, lower intelligence, high maintence. Possibly he's a weaker male who was in love with a woman like that... and she chose the alpha, as they often do."

"May ask a third question?" She wondered. "One that may be a bit... sensitive."

"Okay..." he answered, nervous, unsure if he'd even answer.

"Not that I mean to offend," She turned onto another street. Reid recognized the area; they were almost back to the Yard. "But... you don't particularly seem like an alpha male, and... Mrs. Reid..."

"You're wondering how I ended up with someone like her?" He finished. He had never been more embarrassed or amused at the same time.

Eden blushed. "I'm sorry, that was rude-"

"Riley would not be suited for an alpha male." He stated plainly.

"You said those women were beautiful." He sensed she was teasing him. Perhaps payback for embarrassing her earlier.

"Yeah, she's beautiful." He agreed. "But one thing an alpha also wants is a docile woman, someone they can push around. You can't push Riley around. She is beautiful... and she's opinionated and intelligent and the most stubborn woman I've ever known... she does what she wants, she speaks her mind and she cares so much about people... she has the most incredible spirit I've ever seen and she doesn't even know it because people have been crushing it for so many years..."

Her expression was surprise, glancing at him in such awe. Eden had never heard anyone speak about another in such a way. Not even her husband at their best. "Wow... you really love her."

He gave a deep breath with a contented smile. "I'd die for her... and I have."

"How is that possible?" She wondered.

But Reid flashed her a smile. "You used up all your questions."

* * *

><p>Emily tossed and turned all night. She tried to convince herself it was because she wasn't used to sleeping in her bed, or that she wasn't used to sleeping alone. But the truth was blazing in the back of her mind, waiting and wanting to be acknowledged. Emily was jealous.<p>

Once she admitted it, she couldn't switch her brain to another subject. The imagine of Morgan with the slutty intern infected her brain. What was so special about that girl that Morgan would sacrifice a night with Emily? Maybe he was getting bored with her, maybe she had been romanticizing everything and this wasn't anything but a means to satisfy physical needs. Whatever the reason, it sent a dull, aching pain in her chest that no antacid could cure.

She had felt like this at fifteen, when she saw her whole life crashing around her. And after horrible cases, like the last one they had, she felt this horrible, heart breaking despair that only a few rounds of tequila could cure. But this was never the direct result of a man and his unrequited feelings. This was new territory, giving her no idea how she was supposed to fix this. All she wanted was to feel normal again.

Did she want to feel normal or did she want to feel happy? That was a good question. This past year had been the best of her life. Even when she did wake up alone, with no special or exciting plans for the day, she would have a smile on her face, just excited to start the day. Did he have that effect on all woman or just her? Emily tried to back track over the last year, wondering when exactly she'd become one of those women she'd always looked down on. Who let a man come into her life and warp her sense of reality. And now that he was beginning to drift away... she felt so lost and alone.

Emily gave up on sleep, rolling onto her back. Through the blinds, she could see the sun begin to peak into the city. Any minute now, her alarm was going to go off and she had to go to work. Emily let out a deep breath, feeling exhausted. She couldn't go through another night like this, she had to do something... but what?

Emily had two options. She had to pull Morgan aside and either tell him how she really felt - that she had broken their rule and cared too much about him. And now she wanted more. She wanted him to be hers and only hers - or she could end this.

And of the two, as much as she wanted the former, the latter seemed the better choice. They could stop this and go back to the way things were. When they were friends and partners. Before the sex, before the fighting, just innocent, platonic flirting... It wasn't as good as being together, but at least it was safe. And she wouldn't be constantly tormented. They would miss each other at first, but eventually those feelings would subside... and then everything would go back to normal.

Emily rolled over, resting against her pillow and trying not to cry. She would tell him this morning, as soon as possible. Maybe in another time, another place, another life this would have worked. They would have been happy. But not in this one... and she couldn't just torture herself by clinging to a man and wishing for that to come true.

* * *

><p>Reid couldn't help but think about Mrs. McClaren as he stepped into the conference room. Riley stood before the map of the city, observing the points of all the crime scenes. She had her back to the door, not even noticing her husband had returned. Her hair was much crazier than the elegant 22-year-old Scottish woman, but their appearance was similar. Same complexion, heart shaped face... he wondered if her eyes were the same rich brown... and if they made her husband weak in the knees, too.<p>

He knew they couldn't have a normal life, what with his job. But these two weeks were supposed to belong to them. He wanted to lavish her with love and attention, to make this the perfect vacation for her. Luckily there didn't seem to be anything more they could do for the police and Reid was grateful. He had eleven days to make this up to her and he wasn't going to waste a second, starting the minute they got back to their hotel room.

At last Riley sensed she wasn't alone and looked behind her. She smiled spotting Reid, "Hey, why are you just standing there?"

"Just... admiring my beautiful wife." He said with a smile, walking over. He pulled her into his arms placing a kiss on her cheek.

She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "How did you know this is what I needed?"

"I'm an excellent profiler." He replied, enclosing her in his warm embrace. "And I'm very in tuned with my wife's needs."

Riley admitted a giggled, standing up and meeting his eyes. She turned to face him, her arms going over his shoulders. "Listen... I'm sorry about last night."

"Why are you sorry?" He wondered. "I got us into this."

"I know, but I shouldn't have acted like that." Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling herself closer. "I was being childish because you didn't do anything wrong, you just wanted to help. We stumbled on this, I should have known you would want to get involved. I'm sorry for yelling at you and making you feel bad for just... doing your job."

"You had every right to be mad." Reid assured, his hands naturally falling on her hips. "I wanted to give you my full attention... I have this beautiful woman who loves me unconditionally and would do anything for me and I thought about everyone but her. You deserve better than that."

"Oh, Spencer," Her hand brushed his cheek. "You've always treated me better than I deserve, and after everything I put you through-"

"Hey... I put you through a lot, too." He admitted. "And I told you, I don't regret a second because we're together now and no one is going to pull us apart again."

She smiled. "I know... and I was wrong to say you never remember me. I feel awful for saying that, I was just upset. I love you so much and I wanted you all to myself."

"You deserve that." He explained. "You deserve the perfect honeymoon... and after today, I'm going to give it to you. I promise."

"Really?" She asked brightly, the diamond dust sparkling in her eyes with hope.

"Yes," He pulled her warmth closer. "We'll be done here in a few hours and we'll have dinner. Anything you want, what are you in the mood?"

With a seductive grin, she brushed her lips on his. "Room service."

She was the only person who could read his genius mind. He smiled, closing the remaining centimeters as he captured her in a kiss, pulling her against him. Whatever reasoning was left in his head was trying to figure out how much longer they had to stay here before he could rush her back to their suite and show her just how much he really loved her.

"Look at the newlyweds, like rabbits." Inspector Eden announced, stepping in with her partner. Reid and Riley pulled apart reluctantly. They met Eden's amused face at interrupting the couple. "We just finished looking over your notes, Dr. Reid."

"Oh, good." Reid muttered, wiping his mouth a bit like he had food on his face. "I hope they're helpful."

"Very insightful." Paul replied. "Mrs. Reid assisted us with analyzing the crime scene locations and reviewing the suspect list. Thanks to your evidence, I don't think our killer will elude us much longer."

"We'll definitely catch him before he strikes again." Eden agreed. She spread into a smug smirk, "Not that we wouldn't have caught him without you."

"I'm know you would have." Reid smiled, his hand slipping around the small of Riley's back. "I'm just glad we could help. Believe me, that's all we wanted."

"Well, thank you for it." Eden answered. Riley noticed how her attitude was softer now. That wasn't a surprise. It often happened to someone after spending some time with Spencer. He had that effect on people, including herself. "There's not much more we can justify for either of you to do."

Riley hid her joy at that. "Is that your way of asking us to leave?"

"Basically," agreed Paul. "And not to offend, but I hope we won't need your assistance again."

"The feeling is mutual." Riley smiled, leaning on Reid. "Please tell us how everything turns out."

Paul nodded, "We'll be sure to, enjoy the rest of your trip."

"And be sure to stop by before you leave." added Eden, offering her hand.

"We will." Reid concurred, shaking both their hands. "Good luck to both of you."

They stepped past the inspectors, both trying not to seem too eager to get back to the hotel. One day and the rest of the time was theirs. They had done a good deed and could move on. It was a small price for everything they were going to gain.

But their happiness was short lived. Just before they reached the door, their path was blocked. Bradbury stood in their way, his expression very solemn.

Without any build up or introduction, he announced. "We have two more victims. Another honeymooning couple found in their hotel room... they suspect killed this morning."

All thoughts of leaving were immediately gone. Reid and Riley let out quiet, disappointed sighs, not wanting the other to hear. They were back in the investigation once again.


	12. Sugar and Spice

"In the same territory, I suspect?" Paul asked as everyone gathered around the table, taking a seat.

"Not just within the territory," Bradbury said, walking over to the map. He slap his finger right on the marked spot. "At the Waterfall. Where the first victims were found."

"He struck the same place twice." Reid muttered, looking over the spot on the map. "If an unsub doesn't strike the same place every time... he usually moves for each kill. Why all of a sudden would he go back to the scene of the first crime?"

"Perhaps it's a pattern." Eden voiced, grabbing the offered file of the victims as Bradbury handed them out. "He started with the Waterfall to the Towers, the Grislow Hotel, and ended with the Hotel Cantor."

"It's a good theory, but you're missing one point." Reid replied.

"What's that?" She asked.

"The second victims." Bradbury explained. "They were killed in a flat. Now unless the killer is connected to that building, he's more concerned with the victims than the locations."

"As they usually are in circumstances like this." agreed Reid. "There's not even half a day between kills... something happened that told the unsub he didn't have much time to strike. What do we know about the victims?"

"Abbey and Lawrence Little..." Eden read, flipping through the file. "They were from Manchester, they had alreayd been here for three days and were set to check out tomorrow. Hmm..."

"What?" Paul wondered.

She leaned back in her chair, reading the file more closely just to be sure she was correct. "Mr. Little owned a large welding company. I've heard of it, it's a very prominent establishment. What were they doing at the Waterfall?"

"Mr. Little could have suddenly lost a bunch of money. He and his wife intended to stay at one of the larger hotels but they had a change of plans once they arrived." suggested Riley, her attention turned to Bradbury.

"The clerk informed when the Littles checked in, they had a reservation. Scheduled three months ago. The clerk even admitted in the four years he's worked there, he'd never taken a reservation for more than a week. Most guests are walk ins."

"A reservation." Reid repeated, turning around. That didn't sound right. "Inspector, would it be possible for Eden and I to speak to the staff at the Waterfall?"

Bradbury thought for a long time. He knew he should say no. Reid had no authority here and letting a civilian work on a case could get them in a lot of trouble, not to mention jeopardize the integrity of Scotland Yard. Still, though, these people were sacrificing their time to help a very serious murder investigation. He didn't want to deny Reid's unique expertise.

"As far as anyone knows, Inspector Eden went alone." Bradbury stated.

"Thank you, sir." He replied. "It would be helpful if Inspector Paul and yourself could compare the Littles to the other victims... look for similarities in the crime scenes."

"I can help with that." Riley added. She was disappointed, but getting upset wasn't going to change anything. She may as well try to make the best of this, and from the look on Reid's face, he was grateful.

"Good," Bradbury said. "It's settled then. Let's get to work, hopefully we won't be here until the late hours of the evening."

Without another word, Inspector Eden gathered her things and hurried out with Reid. Riley was amazed, expecting him to come back in a moment with a few sweet words and a kiss, but he didn't. At last she sat back in her chair, reaching for the file.

"Are you alright?" Paul wondered.

"Yeah," she nodded, her eyes glittering a bit. "He uh... he just usually says goodbye to me. His job is so dangerous, he never leaves without saying goodbye and how much he loves me... just in case."

"I'm sure he's just distracted." He assured. "When I get caught up in a case, I often neglect my wife, too. After so many years, she understands I don't mean it. And I always make it up to her."

"Right," Riley agreed, leaning back with the file. Four days and she was already the neglected wife? No, she wouldn't let herself think that yet. They may be in deeper than she wished, but it wasn't going to ruin everything. Riley would make sure of that. And with that knowledge, she felt a bit more confident and set to work.

* * *

><p>The Waterfall was a large motel that seemed to do more business with drugs and prostitution than room and board. It was the perfect scene for a murder, but crimes of greed and passion. This was not their unsub's hunting ground, Reid was certain. He seemed much more sophisticated then that. If Mr. Little met their usual MO, than his status in society would bring him and Mrs. Little for less than a handful of reasons. If it weren't their honeymoon, Reid would have assumed this was an affair.<p>

Eden spoke to the man at the front desk, giving Reid permission to see the room. A few members of the crime scene unit were looking over and collecting evidence, but no other officers of Scotland Yard were currently present. He stepped carefully into the room, his eyes taking in the entire scene.

It was a smaller room. Blood splatter had gathered on the wall, trickling on the bed a bit. Like raindrops. That matched the MO. Mr. Little must have been attacked from behind, possibly when he returned from something. The unsub must have snuck up on him. There seemed a minimal struggle; the bedsheets were pulled the floor, possibly by a disoriented Mr. Little trying to get to his feet. A knocked over bedside table with a broken lamp and a shattered teacup. There was no sign of a murder weapon. The unsub probably took it with him to cover evidence, if not keeping it for a trophy.

Mrs. Little must have bled out on the bathroom floor. A puddle of blood was gathered on the tile, flowing through the cracks of the grout. How had the unsub drugged her, he wondered. There were no reports of puncture wounds on the other bodies, even checking between the toes and fingers and the hairline. Besides, she would have seen the unsub for herself and possible even have fought. There was no struggle in this bathroom, just a mess of bath products knocked from the sink... an attempt to break her fall, maybe?

"The Littles were identified before they were sent to he morgue." Eden announced coming to join him. Reid turned around to see her. "And it seems the victim is not the first Mrs. Little."

"The first wife?" Reid wondered.

"Christina Little, Lawernce Little's wife for seven years." She explained. "The first wife when our victim was the male victim's secretary, and according to his office, his mistress for six and a half years."

"How did she get here so fast?" Reid asked, turning back to the mess in the bathroom.

She followed him, looking over his shoulder at the puddle, slowly beginning to dry. "She lives in London, and I'm thinking a very good candidate as a suspect."

He shook his head. "I don't agree."

Eden's jaw dropped. "How can you not agree? The woman lives here in London, she's already stinging from her husband leaving her for a leggy twenty something and you don't think she had anything to do with this."

"She has no interest in the other victims." Reid explained. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this isn't headline knew. It would tourism if it were. I checked the newspaper on these murders, buried at the bottom of page 12 with minimal information. There's no way she did this."

"Hmm... did you know Mrs. Little is a travel agent?" Eden smugly pointed out.

Reid at last turned back to her, a little amazed. "Okay, that might change my mind." She gave him a delighted smile. "I'm not saying she's the unsub, but she's definitely worth questioning. If she worked with the other couples, it may lead us in the right direction.

"You're absolutely certain these deaths are by the same killer?" Eden asked as he stepped further into the bathroom.

Reid squatted down to look over the blood. He was almost mesmerized by it, like it were telling him a story. "There's too much evidence from the previous murders that are mirrored in this room."

"You never even saw the crime scenes." Eden folded her arms, the bitterness back in her voice. "How can you possibly know after looking over the files for two minutes this morning?"

"I have an eidetic memory." Reid explained. "Along with an IQ of 187. In those two minutes, I read those files twice and can recall them exactly."

At first, she thought he was kidding, wanting to slap him for making jokes at this time. But his expression did not change. He was serious, and Eden couldn't hide being disturbed by that comment.

"You're a genius?"

He didn't want to go into this now. "Look at this... this can't be right."

Eden stepped into the bathroom carefully. Reid's finger indicated a small patch around the blood. It seemed the red was separating from the liquid, like plasma. But it wasn't plasma.

"What is that?" She asked.

He couldn't touch it without gloves. And anyway, there was nothing to save a sample with. Reid stood back up, his eyes lingering on the smear on the edge of the puddle. "I can't be certain just by looking... but my best estimation would be some kind of sugar water."

"Sugar water?" Eden repeated, like he were making it up.

"That could be how he's drugging the victims. He crushes his narcotic/sedative cocktail and mixes it in sugar water so it dissolves; the taste is masked by the sweetness. How he gets the victims to take it after that is still unknown, but it's definitely easier to get a person to eat sugar water than swallow several pills or inject with a needle.

"He has to have a lot of time on his hands if he's going to wait for it to be metabolized." Eden said as she considered his theory. "He needs, on average, twenty minutes for the chemicals to be transported from the stomach into the blood stream and additional time for it to finally take effect on muscle and brain funtions."

Reid was impressed. She certainly had medical training. Eden continued, "It doesn't make sense, though. How could he wait that long for the wife to be paralyzed before attacking the husband?"

"He waits for them to be separated." Reid informed. "The unsub studied them, knew their patterns. If Mr. Little went somewhere, even just to return a phone call or two, that would give him enough time to drug his wife and wait for the pills to take effect. Mr. Little then returns and finds her in the bathroom, maybe already dead. His back was to the rest of the room; the unsub jumps out and begins to bludgeon him."

"It doesn't explain why he struck two couples in 24 hours." Eden announced.

"You're right," Reid looked over the puddle again, "There are half a dozen reasons why, but killing two in such short a time might make him back off for a few days. He may repeat this when he strikes again, but we may be able to catch him before we run out of time."

She looked in his direction, both thinking of what poor woman was sentenced next to suffer this fate and feeling like they had no time at all.

* * *

><p>She had to to do it. Since sun up, Emily had been working on the perfect thing to say. She didn't want to hurt Morgan and several times she almost changed her mind. But it had to be done. He would understand, he'd probably even agree with her.<p>

Because Emily and Morgan often thought alike. And if he didn't already have the same idea, once she explained her reasoning, he'd realize this was the right thing. Her only fear was she would start to get emotional and reveal her true feelings. All she had to do was stay calm and collected, say her piece, and then everything would be fine.

Morgan wasn't there when she arrived. The bull pen was mostly quiet, none of the team in sight. Emily's first move was a cup of coffee, still having about five files to finish before she was done with this case. Paperwork seemed much more ideal than the upcoming conversation.

"It's quiet," Garcia muttered, stepping into the break room. Without even turning around, Emily knew who she was with.

"I know," Morgan agreed. "I hate to admit it... but I'm think I'm starting to miss Reid."

"Something tells me the feeling is not mutual." Garcia grinned, getting both her and Morgan some coffee. "They're probably having such a wonderful time over there. I've always wanted to see London, it's such a romantic place."

"Not to disappoint you, Baby Girl, but I doubt they'll have much to tell." He replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if they have yet to leave the room."

"Good point," Garcia giggled. "So, how are you this morning, Emily?"

"Uh... fine." She mumbled, turning around.

It brought their pleasant conversation to an end. The tired eyes and ashen face couldn't be denied.

"Em, are you alright?" Garcia asked, brushing her arm. "You look sick or upset about something."

She glanced at Morgan. He was looking at her passively. She couldn't tell if that were sincere or just a mask for his true feelings. "Uh... actually I am. I have to talk to Morgan about something... privately."

There seemed to be a twitch of a smile on his face, but it left as quickly as it had come. "Okay..." he mumbled, "Garcia, can we use your office?"

"Yeah, no problem." She replied, still looking at Emily with concern.

"No, here's fine. I'd rather talk in here. I just, uh..." She looked to Garcia with sympathy. "I just need to speak to him privately. Would you mind?"

"Not in the least," She smiled, though both could see she was uneasy. Garcia was obviously reluctant at leaving these two alone. Especially in a room with items that could be used as weapons. But she obliged, "If you guys need me..."

Emily watched her until the glass doors closed, not wanting anyone to overhear this. Discussing this here seemed the best choice. Neither would be able to lose their composure in here, no yelling, no kissing, nothing that could manipulate Emily to change her mind. All she had to do was get this out. And then she would feel better.

"So what's up, Prentiss?" Morgan inquired, leaning against the counter, his coffee in hand.

"How was your date last night?" She couldn't look at him. She turned back, continuing to fix her already stirred coffee.

"Fine," He said slowly, trying not to sound too pleased. He's evil plan was working. "She wanted to go to this martini bar she and her friends like. You know, the kind of place young barely legal girls go to find rich, older men."

"Not exactly our scene." Emily added, dumping in enough sugar to even make Reid's lips purse. "Then what? Did you... go to dinner... or..."

Morgan knew what she wanted to know. Did he sleep with her? "We went back to her place after drinks."

"Is that so," she muttered, still unable to look at him. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time."

"Are you?" Morgan asked, he leaned in closer to her. "Because you sound upset. Is something bothering you, Princess?"

It was now or never. Emily took a deep, cleansing breath, letting the air out slowly. Opening her eyes, she turned and met his gaze. "Actually yes... I don't think we should do this anymore."

Morgan felt like a deflated balloon. He knew there would be an outcome from this, but this was the complete opposite of what he planned. "What?"

"I thought about it all night." She admitted. "And... Morgan, I care about you. You're my best friend, I trust you... You're one of the best people to come into my life and I hope you'll be there for the rest of it. But not like this. I think we should end this."

"Prentiss..." he checked around for eavesdroppers, noticing the few people already in the unit were too preoccupied to worry about their hushed conversation. "This is coming out of left field. You didn't seem too disturb by our little arrangement yesterday afternoon." He was moving closer into her space. Too close. "Remember yesterday afternoon... in your apartment-"

"I remember." Emily said quickly, backing away. "Believe me I remember. Look... I care about you, Morgan. And I wish things could be different... If we were younger or we didn't work together... or if we weren't hopelessly doomed to fail at relationships, this might have been different. But we are who we are. We knew from the beginning this couldn't last forever."

"Did I do something to offend you?" He demanded. Morgan was not about to give her up without a fight. "Is this about Cheyenne? Because I asked you, you said it was fine."

"It was fine." She assured, not wanting to hurt him. "This is about me, not you. I know everyone says that, but it's the truth. I just think we should quit while we're ahead, when we can still go back to the way we were."

"You mean the unbearable sexual tension that lead to resentment and bitter figthing?" He wondered.

"No," she said sharply. "To just... being friends. There was a time when we were just friends. We can go back to that, can't we? We're adults and we care too much about each other to let everything be ruined, right?"

He wanted to protest. He stared at her, looking at him with wide, hopeful, frightened eyes. Morgan rarely saw her so scared. She was terrified of losing him completely. Though it didn't take the sting out of this.

"Sure, yeah." He nodding, avoiding those eyes he loved so much. Deep brown that looked like melted chocolate when they made love. "Whatever you want, Prentiss."

"I know this is unexpected and I'm sorry... but I really think it's for the best." She uttered softly, stopping herself before she reached to brush his arm. She longed to touch him, but distance was better. Why she wasn't sure seeing how all she wanted right now was to be pulled in his arms, to feel warm and happy again`.

"Yeah, whatever. I've got paperwork to do, so I'll talk to you later."

Without waiting for her response, he left her alone in the break room. Emily leaned on the counter staring at her shoes. Her hand reached for her cup.

She thought she would feel better. That there would be a tremendous pressure lifted off her shoulders and start to feel normal again. But she was wrong. In fact, she felt worse. All she wanted was to go back five minutes and have this never have happened.

Taking a sip, the coffee was so strong and not at all sweet. For what she thought had been sugar had been the salt shaker. If that wasn't some kind of karma. Quickly, she rushed to the sink and spit it out, dumping the rest down the drain. Still, the salt wasn't strong enough to disperse the bitter after taste from the words that had hurt the person she cared for most in the world.


	13. Fear

It was almost eight by the time they got back to the hotel. They didn't say much since they left the station. Reid had a lot on his mind. The crime scene went through his mind over and over like the scene a horror film. Judging from the minimal damage to the room, the unsub had to have known his way around... he'd been planning this for awhile.

Riley kept glancing out of the corner of her eye. She was getting worried about him, already seeming so stressed and tired. Once on their floor, she unlocked the door to their suite and allowed him inside first. She watched Reid cautiously, his back to her as she dropped her things in a nearby armchair.

"Are you okay?" She asked tentatively as she hung up her coat.

He gave a nod, too distracted to even speak. Riley had seen him like this before, during intense cases with evidence that didn't exactly fit together. She could see the tension already building in his muscles. "I'll order dinner; what are you hungry for?"

"Whatever you want." He mumbled quickly, sitting on the couch. He closed his eyes, rubbing the building pressure in his temple.

Reid needed to get his mind off this if he wanted to start fresh in the morning. Riley wasn't sure if he needed space or comfort, but decided on the ladder. She joined him on the couch, putting her arm around him.

"You know this isn't your responsibility." Riley explained, her brow resting on his temple. "You're just assisting, it's Scotland Yard's job to find the killer."

"I'm just trying to help." He muttered. "I thought I would have been able to lead them in the right direction... but now I feel just as lost, and I've gotten them more mixed up then they were."

"It's only been a day." Riley pointed out. "You've never caught an unsub like this after one day or even a few days. And you don't have the rest of your team with you. You just... need more time."

"That's more of our honeymoon being wasted." He sat up to meet her dazzling brown eyes. "You don't have to come, you know. I know you want to help, but you should at least be enjoying our vacation."

"You sound so desperate to get rid of me, Spencer." She smirked, her fingers reaching to run through the tendrils of his hair, just the way he liked. "No, I want to help in any way I can. And besides," she reached to kiss his ear, lowering her voice seductively, "we still have tonight. The morning is a long time away."

Reid was exhausted, but he couldn't help but smile. Even just a few hours with his wife sounded like heaven. "I'm sorry, I've been ignoring you. Tonight is all about you, anything you want."

"Fantastic," she grinned, placing a few chaste kisses on his jaw line. "Because what I really want is to make my husband happy and relaxed... and I think I recently bought a few items to make that possible."

He suddenly was sitting at attention. "Like what?"

"Well... for instance, different body oils in some of your favorite scents. And they're the really good kind that warm up to help relax your muscles." Her fingers stroked on his cheek, sending a tickling desire through him. He was already starting to forget the stress of the day. "How about I slip into something very tantalizing and give you a full body massage?"

He gave a pleased sigh, "Oh, I like you."

She giggled, reaching in to give him a soft, slow kiss. Pulling away carefully, she stood. "You just get comfortable and wait for me on the bed. I'll be back in a minute."

"What about dinner?" He asked as she retreated.

Riley glanced at him from the doorway of the bedroom, giving him a sinful grin. "Oh... I think we'll be more hungry later." And with that, disappeared around the corner.

The bathroom door closed and Reid was alone. After a few minutes, he pulled his tired body off the couch and went to the bedroom. He did as he was told, changing out of the day's clothes and pulling on his plaid pajama bottoms. He left his torso bare in anticipation for his massage, laying on the bed in wait. At the time, the promise was almost enough to get his mind of the case... but it was creeping up again.

As his head hit the pillow, one question was surfacing in his mind. How exactly did the unsub find his victims? There didn't seem to be any connection between the couples, except for the fact they were on vacation. If they weren't familiar with the area, the unsub couldn't have known about them for more than a few days... Reid barely had enough evidence to create a partial profile. He needed more, and with Eden's help, he might be able to get it.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Riley spent as little time as possible getting ready. She only had a few precious hours with her husband, she didn't want to waste it in the bathroom. For several minutes before getting undressed, she held a particular piece of lingerie in her hands. It was most definitely not her style. Riley would never have packed it if it hadn't been a gift. For weeks since her shower, she'd been debating whether she'd have the courage to even wear it in front of her husband.

Finally, she decided, if there was a time, tonight was not it and chose something else, something more conservative. At last she pulled on a long black negligee reaching down to her ankles. It fit firmly around her curves while still moving easily with her. It was elegant without being flashy. Spencer was sure to like her choice once again.

She quickly brushed out her wild hair, taming the curls as much as possible. They hung loosely down to her hips, matching the color of her nightgown. Not wanting to leave a mess, she put most of her supplies and clothes back in the bag. Besides, it would be easier to pack at the end of the trip.

As she tossed her jeans in, a piece of folded paper came into view, catching her eye. Grabbing it, she was curious what it was doing in here, only remembering once she opened it. The contact information Emily had given her at the wedding. Numbers to both the American Embassy and Ambassador Prentiss. Looking at them, she sat on the edge of the large bathtub, thinking.

Her fingers played with the edges of the paper, reading over the numbers. She knew Emily gave this to her because she cared about her and Reid, no other reason... but from the moment she took it, Riley felt like it was a bad omen. Now they were pulled into this serial homicide, the light at the end of the tunnel getting further and further away. She'd sacrifice the rest of their trip if they could just go home where they were safe.

It was getting late. And they were together now, she should be making the most of it instead of sitting in here with her usual unhealthy obsessions. She had much better things to occupy her mind with. Among the other items, she pulled out the oils and returned to the bedroom.

"Alright, my darling, the wait is over. I am ready to pamper and spoil my husband with a long, pleasurable massage... to start with." She grinned moving into the room. Looking over the bed, her smile faded instantly.

Reid was already fast asleep; their romantic evening was over before it had even begun.

She let out a disappointed sigh, but wasn't angry. Accepting defeat, she set the oils aside for another time. She wasn't very hungry and figured she'd turn in early, too. Riley went around the room to switch off the lights. The bedroom was bathed in darkness, only the street lamp for company. She climbed onto her side of the bed, laying above the covers with her husband.

Riley wrapped her arm around his middle. "You're lucky I love you." She whispered, leaning into his ear. "I wouldn't be doing this with you if I didn't. I wanted this trip to be so perfect... I wanted to spend every night showing you how much I love you... but if this is what you need, I'm here. I will always be here."

She pressed a kiss on his warm cheek. She snuggled closer to him, closing her eyes. A moment passed and she felt him move. Without waking, he wrapped his arms around her. She clung to him tighter, because this was the only place she felt safe in the world. They were enclosed in a bubble, with the evil outside waiting to burst it. Hours ago he had said nothing was going to pull them apart again, but she was beginning to feel he had spoken too soon. And the eluding evil they were hunting was instead hunting them.

* * *

><p>Reid was angry with himself when he woke up the next morning. It was almost seven when he was dressed and ready to go. Riley was still fast asleep, lying peacefully above the covers. She looked so beautiful and sexy and perfect and it was all for nothing. If he'd seen her come out dressed like that, he wouldn't have been able to blink let alone sleep. Another night of the honeymoon he'd ruined<p>

Tonight would be different, he swore to that. He'd give her the perfect romantic evening and start making up for this. Nothing was going to stop him this time.

He finished getting dressed and debated waking her. She seemed so relaxed right now, Reid didn't want to ruin it. He thought about ordering her breakfast, but wasn't sure how long she'd sleep and didn't want it to turn cold. Instead, he wrote a quick note on the hotel's stationary, stating he was meeting Eden early to conduct a few suspect interviews and would meet her at the Yard later. He wrote a warm I love you - debating whether or not to add an apology - and signed it. He set the note on the bedside table and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Riley smiled sweetly, letting out the hum of a contented sigh. She slept on; Reid could have stayed here and watched her forever... just like the day he met her... and the night in the snow... and sitting in the cafe before their first blissful night together... if the man from three years ago could see what he had and how he was treating it, he'd hate himself.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, brushing back some of her curls. "I will make this up to you, I promise... I love you."

Her sleep was too deep for her to hear anything. He gave her brow another kiss and stood, hurrying out the door.

* * *

><p>Eden was waiting for him in the lobby when he arrived. He'd called her this morning around five, requesting to meet him here. From the sound of her voice, she was not pleased with the idea. And, from her expression, he could see her attitude was the same.<p>

"Why the bloody hell did you want me to meet you here so early?" She grumbled, standing to meet him. Several of the guests glanced at her, rather put off by her appearance. Eden wasn't one to dress like a typical inspector, leading none of them to believe she was with the police.

"I had an epiphany last night," He explained, beginning to lead her down a separate corridor, not typically seen by the public. "But I need your help."

"Explain," Eden urged, hurrying to keep up with his long, speedy legs.

"The other day, after I heard about the McClarens, I came down here to speak to the manager, Marcy Lemon. I asked if I could offer any assistance in the investigation, and she was a little short with me."

"Can you blame her?" She wondered.

"No, of course not. But I'm wondering if perhaps she does know some information that could help. And I think she'll be a bit more cooperative with an inspector from Scotland Yard."

"You assume too much," Eden mentioned as they reached the door that lead to the manager's office. "If she wasn't helpful the first time, odds are she won't be anymore helpful with me."

"It's worth a shot." He said, knocking on the door.

Nothing. There was silence inside. "Maybe they're not here yet." Eden muttered as she folded her arms.

Reid knocked again. "A driven career woman like Marcy Lemon? She's was here before even I woke up, I'd bet what's left of my savings on it."

After a moment, the door was whipped open. The male assistant, flushed and frazzled, stood before him. "I'm sorry, sir, guests aren't allowed back here." He announced, not recognizing him from the other day.

With her flash of her badge, Eden spoke, "I'm Inspector Evelyn Eden with Scotland Yard, this is my associate Dr. Reid. We need to speak to your manager regarding the homicide investigation."

Reid recognized the ashen, nervous look appear on his already pale face. The expression civilians got when the authorities came to call, even if they knew what it was about.

He stepped aside to let them in. "Please take a seat. I'll let her know you're here."

Closing the door, the assistant turned and hurried to the door behind his desk, not even bothering to knock. Reid and Eden each took a seat in the quiet waiting area. Lemon's office door closed, muffing the raised voices that soon appeared from inside.

"Career, cut throat women," Eden uttered, relaxing a bit in her chair. She gave Reid the impression of a rebellious teen waiting in the principal's office. "Not exactly the kind of person I enjoy speaking with first thing in the morning."

"My boss's boss is like that." Reid added. "Her favorite time to show up to our unit is first thing in the morning."

"Of course it is." She added with a grin. "That way she gets to ruin your whole day."

Reid laughed lightly. He had to admit, he was really starting to like Evelyn Eden. She was actually an easy person to work with and talk to once she let down her defensive barrier.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" She wondered.

"Sorry," Reid mumbled. He hadn't realized he was staring. "I was just thinking... you remind me of one of my teammates. My best friend Derek Morgan; I'd bet you would get along with him."

"Well I hope I'll get to meet him, if we're alike as you say." She smirked pleasantly.

"I hope not." Reid muttered with a chuckle. "I've damaged enough of my honeymoon, my team joining it would make things irreversibly worse."

Eden hid her smile as the office door opened. Once again, Marcy Lemon stepped out in a swish, several notes and files under her arm. Business suits and heels always made power hungry women more severe.

"Dr. Reid," she muttered, crossing her arms. "Isn't this a surprise, I doubt this visit is about your room."

"No," Reid said standing. "Uh... but we are enjoying our stay here. You have a lovely hotel."

"Glad to hear it." Her tone dripped with sarcasm. Her icy eyes landed on Eden. "And I see we brought reinforcements this time. Well, Inspector, I don't know what he told you, but I informed Dr. Reid there was nothing I could help him with. My concern is the integrity of the Grislow Hotel, not the murders themselves."

"I know what you told him." Eden said so sternly, Lemon seemed to draw back a bit. Traditionally Scotland Yard's position was to remain polite and respectful to members of the public. They didn't typically try to manipulate and intimidate people as American law enforcement was trained. "Miss Lemon, I understand your concern, but you are not aware of our situation. In the London area, positioned particularly in a close radius of this hotel, there have been five other couples murdered the same way as your guests and we are certain there will be more."

Lemon was taken aback by that. Even her hard, outer shell couldn't deny her concern at the news of so many brutal deaths. "I see. That's awful news, Inspector. I can tell this is serious, but I don't know what help you can get from me."

"What can you tell us about the McClarens?" Reid spoke.

Lemon let out a heavy sigh. "Hold on, I'll get their file." She grumbled, turning to go back to her office. Her assistant practically had to leap out of the way as she came charging through. Eden and Reid followed close.

She hurried to one of her filing cabinets, searching through the many papers. Eden waited impatiently, her arms folded. But Reid used the opportunity to use his skills, profiling the room. It was neat, this woman liked order. She was attempting and failing to tidy her desk, with forms and papers in a pile. She'd been reading a red file when her assistant interrupted her. Reid wondered if it was the same one from the other day, or perhaps just one similar. He had a sneaking suspicion to read that folder.

There was little decoration on the walls; a few landscape paintings which Reid was certain was hung by decorators of the hotel. Lemon was not a warm person. Her life was her career, and no weaknesses like friends, family, or past memories was going to get in the way. Women like her typically didn't have children this early in life, were unmarried if not detached from romance completely, and was hostile to anyone or anything disrupting their daily routine. No wonder she was determined to get this murder out of her hotel as fast as possible.

"The McClarens." Lemon announced, at last pulling out the form. "There's not much information on them, I have to tell you."

"What is in their file?" Reid asked, stepping over to read over her shoulder.

But she didn't take too kindly to that. Glaring at Reid, Lemon stepped away far enough where he couldn't read a word. "The McClarens checked in almost three weeks from their murder... they placed a standing order for breakfast for their entire stay and checked out a day early. They both used our car service every day, most days they were going in different directions."

"They weren't together?" Reid asked. "Where did they go?"

"Our drivers are required to keep a log, a security measure in case a complaint is placed." She replied, going to another file cabinet. She searched for a moment, at last pulling out a much thicker folder. "Let's see... Mrs. McClaren spent her time in various parts of the city. Mostly high priced shopping areas... and Mr. McClaren based himself primarily in the financial district."

"Mr. McClaren was a stock broker." Reid stated.

Eden gave a nod, "Looks like you're not the only one working on his honeymoon."

That twisted his stomach a bit, but he ignored it for now, turning back to Marcy Lemon. "Did they leave and return at separate times?" Reid wondered.

"Yes," Marcy answered. "Mr. McClaren typically left before seven, returned at noon, and departed again at three. Mrs. McClaren would have room service delivered, leave by 10 am, return in the late afternoon and leave shortly after... and the two would return together before midnight... except for the last day, of course."

Now they were getting somewhere. "What happened on the last day?" Reid pressed.

Marcy read quickly. She didn't seem at all perplexed by the newlyweds' habits. "Mr. McClaren left at his usual time. He returned at noon... and that's the end of the driver log. Check out is at three, they must have left."

"Or someone did it for them." Reid looked to Eden to explain. "They wouldn't ask for an ID at check out, as long as they had the credit card. Who's going to steal an identity to check _out_of a hotel?"

She agreed. "Miss Lemon, thank you for your time. If we have anymore questions, we'll contact you."

"Very well." Lemon mumbled, going to replace the file in its drawer. The two investigators left without another word from her. It was futile, considering she was certain it wasn't the last she'd see of them. It was still early and she had a lot to do. Andrew was probably having his morning tea now. She'd give him a break, considering how late she kept him last night. But once he was done, they were to get right to work.

* * *

><p>They reentered the corridor. A maid was pulling toiletry supplies from a closet down the hall, completely emersed in her task. Eden exclaimed, heading back the way they had come, "A standing room service order. Didn't we find that the unsub needed his victims to digest the sedatives in order to drug the women?"<p>

It was a good theory, but Reid knew it was wrong. "The corner looked over the stomach contents, in all the victims." He informed. "There's nothing to suggest they ate anything before being drugged. Only the evidence of water, but-"

"-if it were mixed in water, they'd able to taste the sugar. No one just drinks sugar water." Eden finished for him, despondence settling in. "The McClarens certainly didn't seem like a happy couple, they barely spent more than a few hours together a day. Why would the killer be interested in them?"

"People are happy in different ways. And rich people tend to be happier when they're making or spending money. Alphas are often sociopaths. Sociopaths often can't show emotion and instead use wealth and possessions to show affection." Reid explained. This was definitely new territory for him. Usually the sociopath was the unsub, not the victim.

They still had a long day ahead of them. Reid could only hope by the end, they'd have a bit more than sugar water and wasted time.


	14. Merry Old London

Morgan normally didn't focus this long on the punching bag, but even after twenty minutes of boxing, he was still hitting it with full force. He'd had some extra time this afternoon, deciding his energy was better spent down in the gym than sitting at his desk and trying not to look at... her.

He had thought his plan out so perfectly. After their perfect first date, Morgan realized he wasn't happy with their situation anymore. He'd been in this place before, in the middle of a casual relationship with a girl and turning it into something serious. Morgan had never been the one to suggest making it more complicated, it had always been the girl. He was considering it this time, though, and that said to him that Emily was different. This wouldn't have a messy ending and a severing of the friendship... things didn't have to end at all.

But he didn't know how to bring it up. Envy had always been a great motivator before. Once the girl became jealous and angry, realizing she wasn't the center of his attention. He would only comply so as not to hurt her feelings. Of course, once she saw how much his job occupied his life, they'd be a messy fight and a break up. Emily had the same job, and she understood him better than any woman before. It wouldn't be like that this time... naive of him to get his hopes up.

Emily was too smart to fall for his tricks. She didn't get jealous... she became wise. She realized she was wasting her time with him and wanted a clean break. He was stupid to ever think he was good enough for her.

His fist slammed into the burlap, vibrating up through the bungy cords above. His anger had complete control of his form, wanting to punch this bag to within an inch of it's life. Well, that was fine. If she thought she was too good for him, than so be it. He should have known better than to get involved with some perfect prissy rich girl, anyway. Once he finished here, he was going to shower, get back upstairs, and show her she meant nothing to him. Emily had burned this bridge and he was never going back.

"Are you sure you can handle this, old man?" The familiar voice landed on his ears. What the hell was the matter with him, he should have known. Rossi and Emily worked out together once or twice a week. The unit was so slow right now, he should have known it would be today.

"I'm not denying there's some grey in my hair, Emily." Rossi laughed. "But I can hold my own, which I usually do."

Morgan slowed down, looking around for their voices. There were a lot of other agents in the gym. Running around on the track, lifting weights and riding the machines... fifty feet or so away, Emily and Rossi were heading over to one of the empty mats for some hand to hand combat. They set their supplies aside and started stretching. Morgan grabbed his bottle and took a long swig. He wiped the sweat away with his towel, stepping closer to watch.

He was far enough away where he didn't notice him. The two got into position, ready to start their sparing match. Morgan tried not to focus on Emily, knowing how it was just going to refuel the anger he'd tried to exhaust out of him. But stopping his eyes from watching her was like trying to stop the ocean from running onto the shore. He loved the way she looked in her workout gear, hugging her curves perfectly. Sometimes, after spending the night at one's place, they'd come to the gym early to work out. An excuse to ride to work together. It was always such a competition; to see who could run faster, fight longer, out last the other. Morgan had loved it; no one could challenge him the way she could.

They got into position and started sparing off. Rossi was right, for man his age, he could definitely hold his own. He kept in shape and did well in the field, but he wasn't a match for her. Morgan knew how much she was holding back... or maybe she only fought harder when it was against him.

Besides, it was just a friendly competition. They weren't trying to prove something to the other, just two friends exercising and spending time together... that's what friends did, after all.

They broke for a break, going to opposite sides of the mat. Emily was catching her breath while reaching for her water bottle, not noticing Morgan joining them.

"So this is where you disappeared to." Rossi mentioned, at last spotting him. "You've been down here for almost two hours, we thought you went home."

"No, I had some tension I wanted to work out down here." He said, glancing a Emily. "I wonder why that is."

Emily glanced at him, looking both nervous and regretful at the same time. She knew he was angry with her and when he was upset, it could come out in explosive ways. "Is there something you need, Morgan?"

"Actually, I was watching you guys compete." He said, giving her a half smile. "I never realized how talented you are, Prentiss."

She knew from the glint in his eyes, he wasn't sincere. "Thank you." She muttered. "I'm not as good as some. The academy still says your the best at hand to hand combat."

"Well, that's their opinion." He stated, folding his arms. "If Rossi doesn't mind me cutting in, maybe I could show you myself. Maybe teach you a thing or two."

Rossi shrugged, not minding letting Morgan cut in. Emily swallowed her water while rolling her eyes. "I'm not fighting with you, Morgan." She set her bottle down.

"You're not scared, are you, Prentiss?" He asked, grinning slyly.

"No, Morgan. I just don't want to fight with you." She explained, turning to face him. "I think I'm going to run some laps instead."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Morgan called after her back, grinning. "No way some spoiled rich girl could hold her own against me. Right, Emily?"

Her jaw dropped at that. Emily hated being thought of as some spoiled rich girl, as most people had thought of her most of her life. Morgan knew the nerve her was touching. Turning she stormed back to him, giving a shove as she joined him again on the mat. "Let's go. Rossi, you referee."

"Oh, this will be interesting." Rossi mumbled, stepping on the side. This was the last thing he thought he'd be doing this afternoon.

Emily and Morgan got on either end of the mat. His sly smirk gone from before, both agents staring daggers at each other. Rossi waited for them to be set, and gave them the all clear to fight. Without a second thought, the two launched at each other.

It was like two forces of pure energy, trying to dominant each other. Morgan was strong, and his anger made him stronger, but Emily was not easily overpowered. She seemed just as furious as him, ready to slam his body into the mat.

Rossi was more audience than ref, watching this combat with fascination. He wasn't the only one. A few agents had noticed the fierce battle taking place, stopping their work outs to move closer, the better to see.

Sweat drenched their clothes and bodies as they continued. They pushed their muscles beyond their wildest dreams of strength, trying to get the upper hand. Emily groaned as Morgan forced her onto the mat, but she wasn't down for long, shoving him off before he could pin her.

"You're a lot tougher than I thought, Prentiss." Morgan panted, trying to pin her again.

"I'm full of surprises, Morgan. You know that." Emily exclaimed, breaking out of his grip and getting back onto her feet. Morgan didn't even give her a moment to regroup before he came forward, pulling her in a headlock.

"Morgan, I think you're being a little rough." Rossi called. Almost the entire gym had gathered to watch now. Emily struggled to get out of his grasp, at last knocking to his feet long enough to get out from under his arms. She got back onto her feet first, but this was far from over.

Morgan jumped up before she had the advantage. She came out him again, fighting and deflecting his arms to keep him off her. "I thought you would have bested me by now." Emily sneered, falling onto her knees, but jumping back up within a second. "Or was that just talk?"

"Prentiss, I haven't even begun to dominate you yet." Morgan yelled. His brow dripped with sweat. She backed away from him a bit, her beautiful eyes lit up with intensity... as they always were when she exhausted herself. The perspiration dripped down her soft skin, invigorating the sweet scent he could never put his finger on. It always reminded him of Jamaica. It his his nose and the memory of all those nights breathing it in made him angrier.

"You just going to stand there, Morgan, or are you going to teach me that lesson." She called in the abnormally quiet gym. His eyes had turned to slits as he glared at her, moving in for the kill.

Emily fought with all she had left, but it wasn't Morgan anymore. It was like a force had possessed his body, filled with strength and power and hatred for her. Her best moves weren't enough to fight him off, let alone overpower him. She had seen this kind of power come out on unsubs, but never thought she'd be on the receiving end of it. She almost feared for her life.

She let out an exhausted cry as at last Morgan pinned her. He straddled her, forcefully holding her hands over her head. His grip was so tight, it hurt to move, letting out a soft groan from the pain. And it was getting tighter, feeling like he wanted to squeeze the light out of her with his entire body.

They'd been in this exact position before, only it was much sweeter... sensual and romantic... Emily welcomed his touch instead of trying to fight him off her, Morgan was holding her hands gently over her head instead of constricting her wrists... it wasn't just another time, it had been yesterday afternoon.

He met her eyes, filled with fury and rage and even a bit of fear. Rossi's voice finally broke in, ordering Morgan off of her. At last, he shoved her away, getting to his feet. Emily took a deep breath as she sat up and rubbed her wrists, which were already starting to bruise.

Morgan was about to storm off the mat when he was intercepted by Rossi. "What's going on with you? Are you alright?" He whispered, fully aware of the other agents focused on them. Most of them were staring at Emily, who was trying to gather what was left of her dignity.

"I'm good," Morgan muttered. He headed straight for the locker room. Morgan never looked back, hoping he could leave everything he was feeling on the mat with her.

* * *

><p>The weather reminded her of Seattle. It was often gloomy, cloudy with the threat of rain over her head... but there was something about London. It was such an elegant and romantic city... and she'd barely got to enjoy a moment of it with her new husband. Was it irony or karma?<p>

Riley was sipping a cup of weak tea in the conference room that afternoon. She hated tea, but Inspector Paul had offered to make her a cup. It would seem rude to request coffee. She hadn't had coffee in a few days, actually, and withdrawal was starting to creep up on her, making her a bit edgy.

It was after two when she noticed Inspector Eden walk in, her own cup of tea in hand. She seemed tired after a long day working on such a tough case. She didn't notice Riley sitting there, reading the files for the fifth time.

A moment later, Reid stepped in, spotting her immediately. Riley stood up, wanting to give him a hug, but he didn't hurry into her arms, as she expected. She didn't think of herself as much of a profiler, but she sensed that was a sign that things were not going as well as hoped.

"Hey," she smiled tentively. "Where have... you guys been all day?"

"Suspect questioning," Eden explained, never looking up from the newspaper she had flipped through. Her knuckle tapped at the bottom of one page, finding what she was looking for. "Page 22, buried again. Wouldn't want to bring down tourism, I guess."

Riley was annoyed; she wasn't exactly speaking to Eden. Her eyes landed on Reid. "Did you find anything useful?"

"Not really," Eden spoke up before Reid could reply. "We did learn from Mrs. Little that losing her no good ex-husband is not lost for the world, but other than that, we're don't have much to work with." She glanced up, finding both of them staring at her. Riley seemed ready to scratch her eyes out.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, understanding. "You were talking to... I'm sorry, I'll just... I'll give you a moment alone."

Riley had to admit, she was not liking Inspector Eden. Jealousy had always been an unfortunate vice when it came to Spencer. Even though she knew nothing was going on between them, she didn't like this woman spending time with him when he was supposed to be with her. And the way she nudged him on the way out did nothing for the green-eyed monster inside her.

"Hi, Sweetheart," He finally greeted, at last going over to her. Though still not enough for her to touch him. "What have you been up to today?"

"Waiting for you, obviously. There isn't much for me to do here." Riley bitterly stated.

He tilted his head sympathetically. "I told you that you don't have to be here. Go out and have some fun."

"I don't want to have fun. I want to be with you!" She cried. Though it was supposed to be enduring, Riley realized how insulting it sounded. "That came out wrong."

"I know this is taking a lot longer than I anticipated." Reid replied. He reached and took her hand. Such a simple gesture that said so much. "If I had known this case was going to be so intense-"

"-You still would have done everything in your power to help." Riley finished. "You always manage to get involve with things that aren't your business, you just can't help yourself."

His guilt stirred painfully in his stomach at that, but lessened again as she smiled, reaching to wrap her arm around his waist to pull him closer. "Which I'm grateful for, might I add... if you could, we wouldn't be married right now."

Reid grinned, remembering how twisted and tormented he was when they first met, how he knew he shouldn't get so involved with his therapist. No matter what he did, he just couldn't stop himself. Like his emotions had taken complete control of his abnormal mind. Right or wrong, his actions had brought him here... and given him her. This amazing woman who loved him. So much so, she stayed beside him when he completely massacred their honeymoon.

"I'm sorry." He said, leaning on her forehead, looking deep into the brown eyes that had enchanted him from that first day. He pulled her body so close. Never able to resist him, her arms went over his shoulders. "I hate doing this to you... and I feel awful for falling asleep on you last night."

"Hey, you missed a great massage, I think we're even." She giggled.

"True, but when I woke up... you looked so incredible. It will not happen again. Tonight is all about you, no exceptions. I promise you that."

She looked so pleased and excited. "So, you're done with the case then? The inspectors can take it from here?"

He suddenly realized he was only supposed to be assisting. Reid had been thinking about the outcome of all this, just assuming he was going to stick around and see it through. It was heart breaking, knowing he was about to diminish the shining hope in her sparkling eyes.

"I realize I am the worst husband in the world..." He began. "But..."

"What more do you have to do?" She wondered, pulling away a bit. "I don't understand. You've helped them look over the crime scene, you've done some interviews, you studied the bodies. You should have more than enough for a partial profile, if not a full on. What else is there?"

There was certainly not enough for a profile. Reid had never worked a case alone before, he had no one to bounce ideas off of and that made the whole process even more complicated.

He stepped closer to her, "I just... I feel like there's more I can do-"

"No," she moaned softly. "Spencer, this case is not your responsibility. This is not your job. You've spent two days on this and I know you want to do more, but there's only so much. You're not even supposed to be here. And what about us? I've known from the very beginning our life will be unexpected. We'll have to deal with cases and unsubs ruining our plans for the rest of our lives, I understand that. I accept that. But this is our vacation, this is supposed to be just you and me... Why can't we just have a few days that are just about us?"

She was calm. She wasn't on the verge of releasing her hot temper or spilling the tears burning in her eyes... she was just unhappy. Her arms were folded in front of her, a way to guard and protect herself. She waited for him to answer, to decide whether this case or his wife was more important to him. It wasn't even worthy of consideration. Reid stepped closer, ready to accept defeat and announce he'd stop. He'd tell Bradbury he couldn't do this anymore, wish the inspectors the best of luck and move on.

He opened his mouth to answer, but before he could make a sound, he was interrupted. Bradbury hurried in with the inspectors in pursuit, just like yesterday. "We have more victims." He informed at once.

Riley stood in amazement for a moment at the news. As Reid turned around. There wouldn't be any stopping him this time. "I'm very sorry about that, Inspectors but..." he glanced back at Riley, anticipating her joy when she heard him say this, "... my wife and I... we... we can't-"

"Reid," Eden interrupted. "It's Marcy Lemon and her assistant."

Shocked, "What?"

"Two of the hospital maids found her assitant with his throat slit, laying on the couch in his waiting room, like he was taking a nap. Marcy Lemon was bludgeoned on the floor after returning from a meeting that afternoon." She explained.

"That's..." Reid could never have expected this. "That's against the unsub's MO, why would he strike like that? Two people who live in the city, who work in the hotel instead of staying there... why would he go after them?"

"They weren't even a couple." Paul announced. "Doesn't he only strike couples?"

"No, actually, they were a couple." Reid corrected. "They were keeping a relationship a secret from the staff, but they seemed to know it anyway. We..." he glanced back at Riley again. She avoided his eyes, seeming very pensive at the moment. "...we overheard them our first night at the hotel."

"It's still not the same as the others." Eden replied. "Why would he do this? And how did he get access to kill two people in broad daylight inside the office of the most powerful person in the hotel?"

This was definitely out of their element, Reid knew. Were they in the States, they would be contacting JJ right now to ask for the BAU's assistance. But even in America, there was a lot of protocol to justify the unit's help. It would be almost impossible to receive anything like that over here without dozens of departments giving permission.

Her mind on the same track as his, Riley let out a heavy sigh. Reid glanced at her, meeting her eyes with a shimmer of disappointment. "Inspector... would you be interested in having more of Dr. Reid's team for support? We wouldn't want to invade your territory, but they could give you a lot more help than this establishment is trained for."

"I'd be thrilled to have the team's help." He answered, not even looking at the others for agreement. Though neither of them seemed in protest. "I've heard a lot of good things about the BAU, their help would greatly accepted. But how could we justify that?"

"Yeah," Reid said, looking at her in surprise. "It'll take too much time, assuming we can get the permission in the first place."

Riley reached into the pocket of her jeans, extracted the folded paper she'd hoped she'd never have to use. "I have a connection in the US State Department; Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss. Her daughter works with Spencer and she's well acquainted with the BAU. I think she can help in getting all the requirements the team needs. If we work quickly, they could be here tomorrow."

"Where did you get that?" Reid asked, taking the paper to read it.

"Emily gave it to me at the wedding." She stated, snatching it back. She was not in the mood to discuss this. Riley looked to Bradbury. "I'll contact the ambassador, you'll just need to contact the unit directly."

"I'll ring Hotch right now." He said, delighted. He hurried to his office to make the call. The other inspectors looked at the couple. Not wanting to be caught in the middle of a possible fight, they slipped out without a word. Reid and Riley were alone.

His hand went nervously through his long hair. "Well..." He muttered, meeting her eyes apologetically. "You have to admit... it's a pretty interesting honeymoon."

She met his eyes again, "Yeah, and to think, we could have just spent these whole two weeks having sex."

A thought that was sure to depress him. Gripping his shirt, she pulled him closer to give him the peck of a kiss. Riley clutched the paper as she grabbed her cell, stepping out of the conference room. Reid had to admit, besides their fight two nights ago, she was being a great sport about this. He had to do something to make this up to her. Though looking at the big picture, it was beyond any premonition either of them had have. He was in a foreign country working on a murder case while he was supposed to be celebrating with his wife. And now he got to share the whole experience with his team. For the first time in his life, Reid was certain things couldn't get any worse.

Of course, as it had to every person who carelessly considered that phrase, things were going to get very much worse, indeed.

* * *

><p>Emily didn't want to go home. She wasn't sure why, it felt like she was avoiding something. After returning from the gym, she settled at her desk and finished her paperwork. As the last signature was signed, she looked up around the bull pen. It was almost seven, with most of the unit gone. The other team members weren't in sight, though she was sure were still around. At least Garcia or Rossi wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. Emily hoped she could slip out within the next few minutes without getting roped into anything.<p>

She took her coffee mug back to the empty break room. She cleaned it in the sink, grabbing a paper towel to dry it and leave it ready for the morning. To her dismay, someone joined her in the kitchenette, and she didn't even have to turn to see who.

"I thought you would have left by now." Morgan said, tentatively stepping in.

"Yeah, well, I had some paperwork to finish." She explained. "We'll probably have a new case soon, I didn't want to leave it for when I got back."

"Too bad we can't just do the usual and dump it on Reid's desk." Morgan muttered, trying to seem playful and friendly, despite the frigid tension she was sending off.

He took a step closer to her, but Emily edged away. Ever since he walked into the locker room, he hated himself for being so hard on her. He may have been angry, but he should have handled it like a man. Not like some monster.

"I'm sorry about today." He said. "I didn't mean to be so rough on you, I don't know what came over me."

"Morgan, I've competed with you." She mumbled, keeping her back to him. "You've been that rough on me before... but this time, it really felt like you meant it. Like you wanted to hurt me."

"I'm sorry, my anger took control. I know that's not an excuse, but I was upset. And I made me want to hurt because you hurt me first." He explained.

She looked at him, furious. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I ended this because I knew it was best, that's the only reason. You were the one who blew it out of proportion, like I was just trying to be petty or vindictive or something."

"Emily," He said, walking over. With so few people around, he wasn't concerned about anyone catching them here. "I don't want to fight. Let's meet at my place tonight and we'll talk about this."

"No," She answered, almost instantly. "After that scene in the gym, you think I want to be anywhere alone with you?"

"Em," He lowered his voice a bit. "I would never hurt you... I'm sorry about today, but that wasn't me. I care too much about you to hurt you."

His two fingers brushed gently down her arm. Emily inched away from his touch. Already, she missed it. She had to get away from him. "No... we're over. This is so... over."

"So you're just... breaking up with me?" He asked. "I don't get any kind of say, you just want to break up?"

She flashed a pair of angry eyes at him. "No, Morgan, for me to break up with you, there would have to be something between us to break." Emily said coldly. For an instant, she took pleasure in the appalled, hurt expression on his face before the remorse began to sink in. But she wouldn't give an apology. Leaving her mug, she headed out to the bull pen.

Just as she reached her desk, Hotch stepped out. He looked over the railing, spotting Morgan and Emily. "Good, you're still here." He said. "Morgan, find Garcia. I need to speak to all of you immediately."

He headed over to Rossi's door, not seeming to suspect what had just taken place. Emily glanced at him, who met her eyes for a moment, and then disappeared into the hall. Confused, she slowly continued to gather her things, hoping this would only be a few minutes out of her day.

Ten minutes later, Garcia had returned with Morgan and JJ had come out of her own office. None of them had any idea what this was about. At last, Rossi stepped out with Hotch behind him. They knew those expressions; they had come to an agreement on something. And that more than likely meant a new, special case.

"Alright guys," Hotch said. "I just got a call from a friend of mind. Inspector Leonard Bradbury, he works homicide in Scotland Yard."

"Oh my God," Garcia exclaimed, as startled as the others. "Did something happen to Reid and Riley?"

"No, no, they're fine. In fact... it turns out, they've spent the last few days assisting them on a serial murder case." He explained.

That didn't sit right with any of them. "But... they're supposed to be on their honeymoon." JJ said, as if Hotch had gotten the names wrong.

"I don't know the details of how they got involved, but it appears even with Reid's help, the case is a bit out of their league." He explained. "This is more our area of expertise."

"We can't exactly just... go over there to help." Emily argued. "There's protocol that has to be followed, we need official permission. We could lose our jobs, otherwise."

"That's already been taken care of. Not long after Leo and I spoke, I got a call from your mother, Emily, saying she's gotten us pending permission to go over and assist. We'll have official allowance in a few days, but there's no reason we can't fly over immediately to help."

"What I want to know is how your mother knew about this before we did." Rossi stated.

Emily let out a sigh. "I gave Riley some contact information in case she and Reid had some trouble with their visas... this was the last thing I expected them to use it for."

"Well, regardless, we've been asked to go to London and help with this case." Hotch explained. "Now, I have to warn all of you. It's on a voluntary basis. It's a long way to travel from your homes and families, and if you choose not to go, I won't force you. You won't need to take leave of absence or anything, either." He looked at each face of the group, looking for a response. "Does anyone wish to stay?"

"I should talk to Will about it first," JJ said, "But if he's okay with it, I'll be there."

"Very well, anyone else?" Hotch asked.

With no obligations of their own, the others kept silent. Hotch remained neutral, but was indeed pleased with their decisions. "Alright, everyone go home, pack and be back here in about an hour. If we leave as soon as possible, we can sleep on the plane and be there by 9 AM. Have your passports, your badges, and enough clothes to last at least a week."

Despite the situation, Garcia gave a slight giggle, always able to see the bright side of things. "Looks like we're off to merry old London."

* * *

><p>AN: If you haven't guessed yet, I'm just winging it on the whole FBI, international protocol thing. Like I said, I'm trying to be respectful as possible. I am glad you guys are liking this! Lots of good, exciting stuff planned. (You know I can't go too long without risking Reid and Riley's lives.) Please keep reviewing, it really makes my day! You guys are all awesome! :)


	15. The Team Arrives

A/N: As I said two stories ago, time zones really confuse me, so excuse me if there are some inaccuracies with the time.

* * *

><p>Reid and Riley ate dinner at Scotland Yard that night with the other inspectors. They wanted to wait for the BAU before going to the new crime scene. Fresh eyes were sure to help the investigation. Instead, they read over the files and the notes about the victims as well as the statements from the maids who had found the bodies. It was just after midnight when they returned to the hotel. It being so late, and both so tired, the newlyweds went straight to sleep.<p>

It was only a few hours later when Reid woke up, feeling better than he expected. Maybe it was because the team was coming. He worked better with these people, all of them functioning like a well maintained machine. And that gave him confidence that this investigation would go much more smoothly, maybe only taking a few more days. He was starting to wish they had come in sooner.

He rolled onto his other side, pleased to see Riley right beside him. She was laying on her back, with a soft smile on her face, in another very sexy, cream colored silk nightgown. Her curls were loose and spread around her like heather in a field, her chest rising and lowering under the covers as she breathed so serenely. She was absolutely breathtaking.

Gently, he reached over to brush her cheek. Riley left out a the soft hum of a moan, nuzzling into his hand. "Hmm... Spencer..." she sighed in her sleep, her smile widening.

Reid grinned. He loved it when she dreamed about him. His arm went carefully around her waist as he pulled himself closer, letting his lips press against her flushed cheek.

A soft gasp and Riley opened her eyes. It took a moment to understand where she was, being ripped from her sleep so suddenly. But at last reality hit her, and she relaxed in her husband's embrace, running a hand up his arm.

"This is my favorite way to wake up." She grinned as he nuzzled her neck. Smiling, Reid sat up to meet her brown eyes. Lit up and sparkling intensely from wherever her mind had just been.

"It sounded like you were having a nice dream." He muttered, brushing some hair from her cheek as he rested his head on a propped arm. "What were we doing?"

Blushing slightly, she closed her eyes as she sighed. "We were on a warm beach, making love on the sand as the tide came in around us..." Her eyes opened, meeting his hazel. "It's probably what we should be doing."

"As romantic as popular opinion makes that sound, it's actually incredibly dangerous. It's very easy to be taken under by the water, to be cut by debris being washed onto shore, or stung by a jellyfish." He explained.

"Did anyone ever tell you how sexy you are when you're logical?" She asked, teasing him.

But he didn't laugh, feeling the remorse seeping in again. "I am sorry about all this. I had so much planned for us on this trip... places for us to visit and... just spending time with the woman I love. I wanted us to just get lost with each other and forget there was a whole world on the other side of the ocean... but I guess you were right all along. We must be doomed to be followed by bad luck forever."

Her hand, soft like feathers, landed on his cheek. "It's worth the price of being so happy. But besides, this is not over... we have nine days left. Maybe with the team coming, we'll be able to have a little less than a week to ourselves. You'll see... everything will be fine."

Curious, "When did you become such an optimist?"

"I think you're starting to rub off on me." She giggled. With that, she reached over and placed a kiss on his lips. It took no more than a second for him to respond. Reid's fingers lost themselves into her curls, feeling her body move closer to his.

Their kiss broke and Riley cradled the back of his head, her fingertips playing with the ends of his hair as she often liked to do. "I think you might be right, though. I'm used to working with the team, we know each other's movements and abilities. We'll work this a lot more efficiently... and then they'll go home and Scotland Yard can close the case and we'll have the rest of the time to ourselves. Who knows, Hotch may even give me a few more days leave."

"Probably; Hotch is pretty understanding." She replied, grinning. "And I can make the request for you, I do tend to have a bit of a charm with him."

"He's not the only one," He smiled, leaning down to kiss her. It was soft and sweet, and as his lips pulled away, he moved to kiss the apple of her cheek, slowly making his way to her ear.

She giggled again he nibbled on her lobe, her hand gripping the cotton sleeve of his pajamas. "I love it when you do that." She exhaled.

"You know," He breathed, "we don't have to be at the Yard for a few hours."

Grinning, she hummed softly at the butterfly kisses he lightly peppered on her skin, pleased as his warm body moved to cover hers. "That's true..." she finally replied. "And if we're late... what are they going to do, fire us?"

Reid chuckled. No more words were needed now. He lightly began to grace along her curves. He wanted to build up the anticipation, but was itching to move his hands under the silk nightgown. Her own nimble fingers were expertly unfastening each button on his pajama top. His lips reached up to claim hers again as she exposed his soft pale skin and light hint of chest hair. She wasted no time in allowing her hands to explore. Her delicate tips ghosted over his flesh; barely enough for him to feel his touch... she knew that drove him crazy.

His hands were sliding over the legs he adored so much, sliding up her calf to the joint of her knee, bent as she nestled it closer to his waist. His fingers continued up her thigh and stopping just under the hemline, lightly caressing her bare hip. Their kisses were turning more powerful, each touch leaving a fire blazing on their skin, gradually building up the intensity of their long awaited encounter.

At that moment, a soft buzzing on the bedside table interrupted them, followed by the familiar ringtone... the one he used for the team. Disappointed, Riley collapsed back on the pillow and grumbled. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"I'm sure it's nothing." He said, reaching across the bed, his fingertips just able to grab the phone. Opening it, he answered "Reid."

"Hey Reid, you're on speaker phone." Hotch announced on the other end. "Did we wake you?"

"No, we were... just about to get out of bed." He said, looking at Riley apologetically. She rolled her eyes. She had no idea what the wanted, but already knew what was promising to be a very wonderful morning was ruined.

"We'll be there in a couple of hours, Reid," Hotch informed. "We're starting to go over the case. Since you're already involved, we wanted your input."

"So the whole team's there?" Reid wanted confirmed.

"All of us," JJ informed. "How are you doing, Reid? And Riley?"

"We're okay... we've been better." He replied, pulling away from Riley a bit to sit up.

"How exactly did you guys get involved in this?" He heard Rossi ask. "You're not in danger, are you?"

"It's kind of a long story, actually." He did not want to discuss this at all, but at least he didn't have to talk about it now. "But Riley and I are perfectly safe, for once."

Emily, knowing how nervous Riley was about London in the first place, was very concerned for her. "Tell her we're going to do everything we can to give you guys back your vacation. I know this must be hard on her."

"Hang on," Reid said, pulling the phone away for a moment. "The team is on it's way. They want me to go over the case and the victims... I shouldn't be too long, though."

Riley reached up and brushed his cheek. She stared into his sweet, warm eyes. "I'm going to get a shower... how about when you're done, you get dressed and I'll treat you to breakfast?"

It amazed him how wonderful she was being about this. She was trying so hard to make this easier on him, getting upset and angry wouldn't help and was attempting to be positive. "That sounds great," He said, meeting her smile.

Reid reached down and met her lips one more time in a slow kiss. Her hand rubbed on his cheek. They pulled away reluctantly, letting Riley climb out from under the covers. He watched her beautiful form adorned in creamy silk disappear into the bathroom, wanting so badly to follow her in there.

"Reid?" He heard Hotch call through the ear piece on his phone. "Reid? Are you there?"

"Yes, I'm sorry," He replied, rolling over to lay on his back. "Let's see... the first reported victims were an engaged couple from Norfolk. JoAnne Taylor and Kevin Philips..."

* * *

><p>Eden met Reid at the hotel at noon that day, set to look over the crime scene. It was the exact same room they were in a day before, yet now it looked so different. The first thing their eyes noticed was the blood gathered on the seat of a couch cushion. It was mostly neat, just like in the bathroom at the Waterfall, indicating no sign of a struggle.<p>

"So the assistant was drugged." Reid mentioned, "And Lemon was bludgeoned when she returned."

"He's changed his MO again." Eden groaned. "New he attacked the woman and drugged the man?"

Reid corrected her. "He didn't switch anything. You met Marcy Lemon, she was definitely the alpha in her relationship. It is, however, a clue as to how closely he watches his victims. Not only did he know she was in charge, she knew there was a secret relationship between these two."

"He did switch from visiting couples to permanent residents." Stated Eden. "What would cause that?"

"I don't have an exact answer to that." Reid claimed. "There are a number of reasons... a crime of opportunity, covering tracks, revenge for a grudge... we may not find the answer until we actually catch the unsub."

He searched around the room for obvious clues. The attack happened right before Lemon's private office, the blood covering the archway from the opened door. Odd that she would walk right past her sleeping assistant without a word. He must have had his back to her, otherwise she would have noticed the blood. The desk was undisturbed, papers... a few yellow folders... an empty teacup... a leather bound ledger, nothing out of the ordinary.

A large pile of documents was littered where Lemon had fallen. She must have been carrying them back from her meeting. Unlike the desk, a bright color caught his eye. Red... a red folder mixed in with the papers.

He'd seen that folder twice already, both times he came to speak to her. It had to be something very important, something she always kept with her.

Walking over, Reid bent down to pick it up. He read the tab: Complaints. Immediately he knew why this was so important to her. Anyone as driven and determined as Marcy Lemon would constantly be obsessing with her faults.

Just as he were about to open the folder, he was distracted, at last hearing a familiar accent. "I think I've spotted the king of romance now."

The moment was upon him. He turned to see Morgan and Emily standing outside the police tape, both looking at him curiously. "I was wondering when you guys would get here."

"Where's the misses this morning?" Emily wondered.

"Back at the station." He slipped the folder under his arm as he walked over. "I know this statement will be futile, but I'd appreciate if you guys could refrain from making jokes about my situation."

"Reid, there are so many jokes I could make about this, I don't even know where to start." Morgan teased. "But we'll have time for that later, let's check out the crime scene."

"Come on, I'll show you what we found." He said, going further inside.

Emily was surprised when Morgan lifted the tape, waiting for her to pass inside. He was always a gentleman like that. Usually, when he did something like that, she'd flash him a small smile and suggestive eyes, a silent promise to what they would share later. Instead, this time, she stared straight ahead as she slipped underneath. They hadn't spoken directly to each other since their spat in the break room, barely able to make eye contact.

Morgan followed her in, spotting as Reid indicated a young lady, around the same age as him. "Guys, this is Inspector Eden with Scotland Yard, she and I have been investigating the case together. Evie, these are two of my teammates, Agent Emily Prentiss."

"Evie. You two are on a nickname basis." Emily noted.

"Well, the other inspectors call me that. And Reid and I have been working together a lot these last few days." She indicated. "We're glad you're here, though. If you're half as talented as this guy, I think we can learn a thing or two from this."

"That's a fresh attitude, we're used to the locals hating our interference." She replied.

"She wasn't too pleased with it at first, either." Reid said with an almost teasing grin.

"And this is Agent Derek Morgan." He continued.

Morgan stepped forward and a much different expression crossed Eden's face. She looked Morgan up and down, seeming pleased with what she found. "Well... they certainly know how to grow them in the FBI, don't they?"

"Nah, I'm just special." Morgan smiled. His usual flirtatious grin on his face. He offered his hand to her.

"Special indeed." She accepted it, hanging on a bit longer than usual decorum. "Reid's told me a bit about you."

"Oh no," He gave a playful grumble. "My ill reputation has already preceded me across the pond."

She gave a giggle, at last releasing his hand. "He only said the two of us would get along... and I'm starting to think he may be right."

"Well... our pretty boy is usually right." He shrugged. "Maybe I can buy you a drink later."

"You certainly work fast." She laughed, biting her lip a bit in a sensual way.

Reid was used to watching Morgan flirt with women. He barely noticed it anymore. And there was a time when he envied him, wanting the attention from beautiful women that didn't involve mocking and laughter. But now he saw it from another angle, and it didn't seem such a glamorous life anymore. Morgan didn't have anyone to come home to. He didn't have a special bond with anyone... someone who connected with him so well, that he could be vulnerable and intimate with... Reid honestly pitied him.

Emily, however, was looking at him with very different thougts. Her eyes burned with a kind of intensity as she watched the scene. She tried to be nonchalant, but the anger wanting to erupt was evident. If Reid didn't know better... he'd say she was jealous.

"Well, why don't you guys show us the scene." Morgan said, spotting the blood on the couch behind him. Eden followed, beginning to explain the evidence. Before Emily could join them, Reid intercepted her.

"Hey... are you okay?" He whispered.

She gave him a glare. "Why wouldn't I be okay, Reid?"

"It just... it looked like you were upset or something." He mentioned. "Are you and Morgan not getting along again?"

"That's none of your business, Reid." She grumbled, trying to move past him.

But he wouldn't let her pass. "What's going on? You look like you might be sick."

"What's going on is none of your damn business!" She hissed. Emily didn't want to take her anger out on him, but now that it was seeping out, she couldn't stop it. "Unless you want me to tell your new wife how you've been flirting with the lovely Inspector Evie over there."

"Whoa, I am not flirting with her!" He informed, a bit stunned. "We just... get along."

"And Morgan and I are getting along, too. Are we clear?" She asked, fixing him with a concentrated stare.

"Yeah... I'm sorry." He uttered. At that, he let her pass. As usual , a half a yard of space was put between the agents, as it had been for last year. Reid tried to ignore the heavy tension as they got to work, pretending his two best friends weren't ruining what used to be a strong and spirited team.

* * *

><p>Riley was making herself another cup of tea. The coffee here was horribly burnt, she couldn't stand drinking it. She dunk the bag over and over into the water, absentmindedly thinking what she and her husband could be doing right now.<p>

"Hey, Sweetie," Garcia called softly as she stepped in. She could hear the pity in her voice already. Grabbing her cup, she turned around to face it, finding not only her, but JJ standing with her.

"Hey," She answered, looking to stare into swirls going through the hot water. "Where is everybody?"

"Rossi and Hotch went to the morgue. Morgan and Emily are meeting Reid at the hotel." JJ explained. "Usually we'd help the police set up, but it seems you've already done a good job of that."

Riley let out a sigh, "Thank you. Not much for me to do here."

The girls went to stand with her. JJ fixed their own tea while Garcia brushed her arm. "Are you doing okay, Baby Girl?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm great." She grumbled, folding her arms a bit. "This has been the greatest week of my life. I've been married for six days and I've spent more time alone in a police station than with my new husband, who would rather work on a murder case than spend time with me."

"Now, Riley, that's not true." JJ informed. "Reid loves you. He adores you... whatever reason he got involved with this, he had no intention to hurt you, I'm sure."

"How do you know it was him who got us involved?" Riley said, meeting the crystal blue of her eyes.

"Because I know him." She shrugged. "And I know when Reid feels someone needs his help, he's there... kind of like how he got involved with you."

"Yeah, didn't you use his therapy sessions to help track down a paroled patient that you were so sure was killing again?" Garcia mentioned.

Surprised, Riley looked to her curiously. "How do you know about that?"

"He tells us things." Garcia grinned. "You don't realize how things have changed since you came into the picture. In the days before Dr. Parker, he used to talk constantly about books and journals and academic stuff. Now he mostly tells us about you. Just as boring to us, no offense, but he is a lot cheerier."

The liquid was turning darker as the tea swirled around. "I know Spencer loves me... and he's sorry about this... I knew something bad was going to happen to us on this trip. I should have just told him and gone somewhere else... at this point, I just want to go home."

JJ shared a glance with Garcia, seeing how tormented this was making her. "Well... we've got some time." She said, pulling her over to small table on the other side of the room. "Let's sit and... you can tell us what happened."

"Yeah, Sweetie, it might make you feel better if you get it off your chest." Garica mentioned.

Riley liked the team. She was incredibly grateful to them for the times they saved her life. She had worked with them for months and enjoyed spending time with all of them. Maybe it was because she was so emotionally distant, but with the exception of Emily and Hotch, she had never really thought of the others as her friends... just Spencer's friends.

But maybe she was wrong, and they really did care about her, too. Riley could open up to them. She set her cup aside, not really in the mood for tea now, and resting her folded arms on the table. "Well... the trouble started basically from the very beginning... right from the moment we checked in."


	16. Perfection

After a tense, uncomfortable car ride, the four returned in the afternoon to an empty conference room. Reid watched his friends with concern as he stood in the doorway. They each took seats on either side of the table, pretending the other wasn't there. When they started fighting, for reasons none of them knew about, it had been almost unbearable for them to be in the same room together, but it wasn't this bad. And it was getting worse, it made Reid afraid of what this could lead to.

Eden abandoned her coat in her chair, coming over to join Reid. She gently nudged him out of the room, to avoid prying ears.

"I have to admit you were right," she said, glancing in the next room, grinning. "I think Agent Morgan and I will get along very well."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Reid wondered. "We're not going to be here that long, do you really want to start something between you two when you have so little time? I wouldn't want you to get your hopes up."

She was a little amazed at his innocence. "Oh, you're sweet Reid, but trust me, I'm not considering anything too... long term."

She and Morgan were too alike, it seemed. "Well, then, I think he's right up your alley. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find my wife."

Eden allowed him to step away, heading back inside. Reid hurried away, trying to find a few moments alone with Riley before they had to get back to work.

The entire hour, JJ and Garcia sat in patient silence, allowing Riley to vent about the whole ordeal. Her tea was completely cold and undrunk by the time she finished, but she had to admit, she felt an incredible weight off her as she got it all off her chest.

"I accept that we are not going to have the honeymoon we planned, and I'm okay with that now. I've come to terms with it." She announced. "All I want is for us to have a little time alone, but it seems every time we try... it gets ruined. Either we're in a fight or it's too late or he's just... too distracted to think about anything but this case. No matter what I do, he can't relax enough to just enjoy an evening with me. I don't know what to do." Letting out a sigh, she glanced at the girls on either side of her. Just getting that off her chest released a lot of internal stress that was making her miserable. "Thank you, this was helpful."

"You're welcome, Gorgeous Girl." Replied Garcia, patting her hand.

"I wish there was a way we could make this better." JJ said. She gently set an unruly curl behind her ear in a motherly gesture.

"I think I might have an idea." Garcia smirked.

Intrigued, "What?"

Her grin spread wider, like the Cheshire cat. "I appreciate the problem you're having, but... I am wondering if you've tried... everything."

Concerned, Riley turned to her. That was a curious way to phrase that sentence. "What do you mean by... everything?"

"Well..." She grinned. "I seem to remember a certain something I gave you a month ago at your bridal shower."

Riley knew exactly what she meant, having looked at it with apprehension once again the other night. "And I seem to remember telling you, Garcia, that I am not going to wear that."

"Oh, come on, Sweetie." She whined. "You should at least try it. Trust me, you wear that for Reid and the case will not cross his mind for the entire night."

"It's not my style, Garcia, I'm sorry. I know you spent a lot of money on it, but it was a waste. I mean, what will Spencer think when I step into the bedroom wearing... that." She exclaimed.

"Riley, there will not be enough blood in his brain to think anything when he sees you in that." JJ informed. "Trust me, I know you feel self conscious about it, but he will love it. Look, right after I got married, Garcia got me a similar piece of lingerie for my birthday. I didn't want to wear it either, but I tried it. To this day, Will still requests on a regular basis I put it on."

"The sooner everyone realizes I'm just as much a genius as Reid, the better all your lives will be." She admitted. "Look, I told you you can return the outfit, but I'm not giving you the receipt until he sees you in it."

"If you guys want an evening all to yourselves, I think it's a good idea." JJ smiled. "Look, the rest of us will disappear tonight, hit the local pubs or something. You and Reid head back to the hotel room and... take our advice. I guarantee you guys will have a romantic, sensual evening."

Rolling her eyes, she let out a sigh. "I'll think about it."

"Think about what?" Reid asked as he stepped in.

"Nothing." All three girls exclaimed, taken by surprise. They hadn't realized how long they'd been talking, and hoping Reid hadn't overheard any of it.

Luckily, they were saved a very awkward conversation as the girls stood up to greet him. Reid gave both a warm hug. Despite the circumstances, he was pleased to see his friends.

"I'm really glad you guys could get here so quickly." He said as Garcia let him go. "This case is... a lot more than I can handle alone."

"Find anything interesting at the crime scene?" JJ questioned.

"They were basically the same as the other victims. With the exception of the methods of killing. We're looking into current staff at the Grislow."

"So... this is two deaths at the Waterfall and two at the Grislow." Riley realized. "Do you think he's going to strike one of the other hotels next?"

"That would be my guess." Reid noted. "But we can discuss this with the rest of the team. Rossi called a minute ago, he and Hotch will be here in about fifteen minutes and we'll present our evidence with the inspectors. Hopefully by tomorrow morning, we can present a profile."

"And in a few days we'll be out of your hair." JJ noted. "You guys will have your honeymoon back."

"Hopefully," Riley repeated, a bit despondent. "Well, we should get ready with the others."

She went to stand as JJ turned to Garcia. They shared an understanding glance, turning to the two again. "Actually, before you guys go... can we talk to you?"

Reid closed his eyes a second, trying to keep his temper. Morgan was one thing, but the girls? "You know what, guys... I am not in the mood to hear a lecture about this-"

"This isn't about your honeymoon." Garcia lowered her voice, as if the intended ones were listening at the door. "This is about Morgan and Emily."

Riley pushed back some of her disobedient hair, not expecting that. "What about them?"

"Did they have another fight today?" Reid asked.

"Not in front of us, but you've seen it, too. Haven't you?" JJ asked. "That this little spat of theirs is getting out of hand."

"Yeah..." Reid nodded. "You should have seen them at the crime scene."

"Oh, God, you don't think they got into another fight after the wedding, do you?" Riley asked, meeting Reid's eyes.

JJ shook her head. They didn't have much time to talk about this. "It doesn't matter. What we need to focus on is getting them passed this. It's been over a year, it's about time they just let it go."

"No fight is worth their friendship." Garcia uttered. Riley reclaimed her seat as Reid took the forth and final one. "I wish they would just understand that. And that eventually, this whole thing is going to break up our team."

"We want them to bury the hatchet." JJ stated. "And we need everyone's help."

"I think I have an idea what the stresser is in this. Emily has a new boyfriend or love interest or something." Garcia stated.

"She does?" Riley asked. "I never heard anything about that."

"She's keeping it pretty private." JJ admitted. "She let her guard down a bit the other day and I kind of figured it out."

"I don't understand, why would that be a stresser?" Reid wondered.

"Because Morgan has feelings for her." Garcia explained, as if it were obvious. "I think, if you look at this whole fight from his POV, you'd find he's mostly angry because he wants her and he can't have her. Not as long as they work together. And I think on some level, Emily has feelings for him, too. She just doesn't really know it."

Riley shifted a bit in her seat, knowing a bit more information on that subject than the others. She had been the only one Emily confided in about her and Morgan's sole indiscretion. That was where Garcia was wrong; Riley was sure that Emily had feelings for Morgan and she was highly aware of it.

"That makes sense." Reid said, his wife's discomfort oblivious to him. "It's simple Freudian logic, forcibly repressing sexual tension can cause an intense reaction that can cause the subject to act in negative ways. He or she doesn't know why he has to respond in such a way, he just does."

JJ and Garcia stared him blankly for a moment, understanding only about half of what he said. Turning to Riley, Garcia requested "Translate, please."

"He's basically referring to them as kids on the playground. If they were children, Morgan would be pulling her hair and pushing her while Emily would sit on his chest and make him eat a clump of dirt." Riley explained easily.

"It's nice to have the Reid to English dictionary at hand." JJ teased. "And I think you're right. And it doesn't matter why their doing it, the point is they have to stop. They've been friends far to long to let some stupid infatuated attraction ruin everything."

"So, what's the thinking here?" Riley asked.

"Well, I think Reid and I are closest to Morgan, we'll handle him." Garcia assured. "You girls handle Emily. We'll try our best to get them to open up. Saying things out loud sometimes makes circumstance seem less severe. They might realize they're only angry because the other one's angry."

"With a little luck, they'll be friends again by the time we get back to America." JJ added hopefully. "We'll take everyone to drinks tonight and start discussing it then."

"Uh, maybe tomorrow would be better, Jay." Garcia hinted. "I mean... I'm sure our little turtledoves have better things planned."

JJ gasped. "Right. Well, you and I are still available and we'll be at full capacity tomorrow. You guys just enjoy your special evening."

Reid didn't understand, furrowing his brow as he looked to Riley. She avoided his eyes a moment, feeling herself turning a bit pink.

"Pardon me," Bradbury stepped in just then. "I do hate to interrupt, but the last two agents are here."

"Back to the salt mines." Garcia stated, standing.

JJ and Garica hurried out and Riley tried to follow, but Reid intercepted her.

"What special evening? What's JJ talking about?" He wondered

"Oh, it's... nothing." She tried to explain, but the embarrassment in her face was evident. "It's just... something they suggested I do for you tonight to get your mind off the case. That's all."

Amazed, "You girls really talk about stuff like that?"

"Apparently; I've never had girlfriends before. This is all new to me." Riley reached up to place a kiss on his lips. Her hand slipped into his. "Come on, the sooner we get this day over, the sooner we can be alone."

He smiled as she lead him back to the conference room. Tonight was their night, he was certain this time. Nothing was going to interrupt them now. The team was here and could handle any disturbance, and Reid was not going to think about anything but the wonderful woman who he still couldn't believe was his wife.

They followed Bradbury into the conference room, who exclaimed as soon as he walked in. "Hotch!"

"Leo," He cried, sporting a grin which was a surprise to the team. "It's so good to see you."

"It's been far too long." He stated, shaking his hand warmly.

"How long have you guys known each other?" Emily asked.

"Since our Freshman Mixer at Harvard." Leo announced. "We did snorkle shots together."

At first, the team was sure Bradbury was talking about someone else. They could not imagine Aaron Hotchner doing anything of the sort. Hotch caught their amazed expressions. "I was a lot younger then, and a lot less serious."

"Obviously," Rossi mentioned.

He looked to his old friend. "And besides, I could certainly hold my liquor a lot better than the inspector here, who ended up vomiting all over a young brunette a few minutes later."

"Yes, but I ended up marrying that girl, remember?" He stated.

"In all fairness, Harvard parties can be pretty intense." Riley explained. "I don't remember half of the parties I went to, including my first mixer."

"I remember my Freshman Mixer at Cal-Tech." Reid said, "That was the first time I got drunk."

"Weren't you 12?" Morgan asked, amazed.

"13," Reid corrected. "And I didn't intend to get drunk, it was an accident..." He took in all the amazed faces around him. "Well, you guys know I like Jell-O."

"Oh, my God." JJ uttered, starting to laugh.

"I had about five of them before I realized why they tasted so funny." He explained.

There wasn't a person in the room who wasn't taken over by laughter. Reid wasn't sure why he volunteered that information, feeling humiliated. But he felt better as Riley wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, still giggling. He wasn't sure about the inspectors, but he knew his friends weren't laughing at him.

Once they'd calmed down, Rossi spoke up. "Well, we'd better get started."

"What did you guys learn at the morgue?" Morgan asked. Everyone chose seats around the table, getting comfortable. Each knew they were going to be in here for awhile. There wasn't an open seat left to be claimed now.

"Marcy Lemon and her assistant were killed just like the previous victims, only the female was bludgeoned and the male was drugged and killed quickly."

"Right to left swipe across the throat." Riley said out loud, "I would assume that means the unsub is right handed."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Paul wondered.

Reid explained. "How a person initiates a kill is just as important as the method of killing or why he murders in the first place. It's a unique aspect to only one person, like handwriting. Similar, yes, but it's never quite the same."

"And knowing the unsub's right handed can help narrow down the suspect pool." Hotch announced.

"Which is a lot more shallow than we'd like." Bradbury informed. "Normally, we like it when we only have a few suspects, but this time it's not helping us at all. Either they have alibis or were incapacitated or just don't seem like someone who could murder, especially this many times."

"Never assume someone can't be capable of something like this." Informed Morgan. "Some of the most famous serial killers in history were the least suspected of doing anything to this scale."

"Along with high intelligence, killers like this are known for being able to manipulate and charm others." Emily stated, right on track with Morgan's thought. "Ted Bundy always hunted his victims in public places, he was charismatic enough for each girl to follow him somewhere private in order to kill her."

Quickly, Reid read over the latest autopsy report. "There's no indication on how the man was drugged. How is he getting it into the system?"

"There's no sign of that yet." Hotch announced. "When speaking to the coroner, he did look over the stomach contents of Lemon's assistant. Just like the women before him, there's nothing."

"According to some of the staff at the Grislow, he hadn't even had lunch yet." Eden added. "Which means he's not slipping it into food."

"It would be very hard to get it in there, anyway." Reid mentioned. "Not without him seeing directly. And if he's mixing the drugs in a syrup, there's only so many foods he could put that in without making it taste odd."

"So he has to be drugging the victims another way." Bradbury determined. "He waits for the inferior of the couple to fall asleep... and he kills him before the superior returns."

"Meaning he waits about an hour before killing them." Emily announced. "He knows he needs a certain amount of time before the other returns, so he knows the routine very carefully."

"The McClarens did have a routine." Eden expressed. "Lemon showed us a log of how often the two used their car service during their stay."

"The others may not have had such a predictable style, but they must have had something. Lemon's would be easy to determine, she probably has a black book of her entire daily schedule." JJ stated.

"We'll need to pull all her records over the last two months, since the murders began." Hotch announced. "We need to determine if anyone had a grievance against her."

"Someone like her?" Riley mentioned. "I'm sure there are a great number of people with a grievance against her."

"True, but there may be one person connected to the victims. Garcia, search through her files systems, see what you can find."

Reid had almost forgotten. He pulled the red folder out from the other pile of papers before him. "I might already have the answer here, Hotch."

"What is that?" Rossi asked.

"It's a folder of complaints by the guests of the hotel." Reid explained. "Whenever one issues a formal complaint, it's logged here. Lemon almost always had it with her."

"Why would she be so obsessed with the complaints?" Paul wondered.

"Lemon is a classic perfectionist." Riley explained, this being her area of expertise. "She has a goal to be the best in her career and the only way to be that way is to be absolutely perfect. She's disgusted by these because this is infecting her business. This is what's keeping her from perfection."

"I can understand that." Reid voiced. "Growing up, all anything my teachers and mentors could focus on was my flaws. Academically, I had to be the absolute best and fix whatever was holding me back, and that makes a person very distant from society. Driven, yes, but seeing only with tunnel vision. Most of you knew me when I first started, you remember how awkward I was."

"He was more awkward than he is now?" Rossi joked.

"Well, at least now he can fire a gun." Hotch mentioned, getting an eyeroll from him. "Reid, go over that file, if anyone shows up more than once, give the name to Garcia and have a background check done."

"Yes, sir." Reid nodded. That shouldn't take too long. He wasn't sure what good it would do, but sometimes something so small could prove a big break in the case.

"What about the other hotels?" Paul asked. "They have to have tourist couples, shouldn't those people be warned?"

"No, absolutely not." Bradbury announced. "That's only going to cause a panic and ruin tourism for the city."

"So you want to risk the safety of living people just to ensure tourists can still come here with their money?" Eden snapped.

"Leo's right." Hotch announced. "There's no sign when he's going to strike again, it'll only do more harm than good. We'll head to the other hotels and keep them on alert, but inform them it's not necessary for their guests to be aware of this. We need to keep this as quiet as possible."

Hotch always had a certain way to him. His word was final and even the inspectors knew not to argue with it. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Leo and I will go to the Hotel Cantor. Inspector Eden, I'd like you to take Agent Morgan to The Towers to speak with them and Inspector Paul, I'd like Agent Prentiss to accompany you to The Waterfall."

"Morgan and I always work together, why can't I go with him?" Emily cried at once.

The pleasant nature about Hotch seemed to at last disappear as he fixed her with a coldness. "Because Eden and Paul work in this city. They know it better than we do, we need to stick with them. Is that a problem, Prentiss?"

It was logical, but Emily did not like the idea of Morgan being alone with her. She couldn't protest, however, without arising suspicion. Shaking her head, "No, sir."

"Good," Hotch stated. "The rest can stay in case Reid or Garcia need any help, keep going over the files on the new victims, see if there's anything we missed. Hopefully, we'll have some results by tomorrow morning."

Everyone in agreement, they set to get to work. The others stood, ready to leave. Emily stood slowly, pretending she wasn't watching Morgan as he chatted pleasantly with Inspector Eden. It went unnoticed by everyone but Riley. She pretended to read the lastest file as she watched the scene. Emily looked ready to claw the woman's eyes out, seeing Morgan give her such warm attention. She was feeling exactly as Riley did when any woman flirted like that with Reid. She was starting to wonder if this whole fight was because of their one night stand.

Emily left with Paul, leaving the others to their work. Rossi offered to run out and get coffee for everyone while JJ helped Garcia set up her laptop. No one was the wiser about what had just happened.

She took a glance at her husband, wondering if she should tell him about their night together. Riley didn't want to betray Emily's confidence, but if they were going to help the two get over this, it might be necessary. Spencer could keep a secret and it would benefit everyone in the end.

Riley pushed it from her mind. She'd make her decision tomorrow. It wasn't like they could do anything about it tonight as it was. She went back to the file, trying not to think of how many hours were left before they could finally call it a day.

* * *

><p>AN: Hey guys, just a heads up. We had a really bad storm here and some lightening messed with the internet, so updating may be a bit slower. Once or twice a week at best, but hang in there. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. Stay tuned, though, I appreciate all the reviews and alert guys, you're all amazing! :)


	17. Broken Promises

On the next block over was a pub popular to the inspectors at Scotland Yard. When the group finally decided to call it a night, the three insisted on taking the BAU team out for a drink. Just to recharge their batteries before diving back into the case first thing in the morning. Hotch and Bradbury sat in a booth with Rossi, telling stories about their college days. JJ and Garcia were getting acquainted with Inspector Paul, although Emily did not go unnoticed by them, sitting a few stools over, having no desire to be in anyone's company.

Getting drunk wasn't a wise idea tonight, however badly she wanted to. Emily nursed her beer slowly, her eyes burning with intensity as she stared at them... the way he smiled at her, how she moved much too closely to him as she maneuvered around his body, her hand gliding over his and up his arm as she passed him.

That used to be them. She and Morgan were a lot more careful about their glances and touches. Anyone on the outside wouldn't notice a thing, but as subtle as it was, it was electrifying, intensifying the sensation later, when they were in private.

Morgan held onto his pool cue as he watched Eden take her turn, watching her backside as she stretched much too far over the table. She was good at pool, probably spending a lot of time in these pubs over the years. It had been how Emily had learned, and it came in handy later when she worked undercover, interrogating dangerous suspects all over the world. Today, though, was a good thing, probably, that Emily wasn't allowed to have her gun. She'd be much too tempted to blast that gleaming, suggestive smile off that British chippy.

"Hey, Foxy Lady," Garcia grinned, sitting beside her at last. She held a drink in hand, something red and yellow with a cheery on top. "Haven't seen you in a while, what are you doing over here."

She took a sip of her beer, buying herself a moment to reply. "Not much, just... thinking."

Garcia pretended not to notice where her attention was focused. "I hope we might get at least an extra day here when the cases is solved." She said, trying to find a safe subject for the girls to chat about. "I've never gotten to see London. What do you think, Em? You want to play tour guide if we get some time to site see?"

"Uh..." She was trying not to scream at Morgan's light pinch to her grinning cheek... It was a typical move when he was flirting. "I... I guess, whatever, Garcia. To be honest, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. The sooner we leave this country behind, the better."

"When did you become the Ugly American?" She retorted.

"No, I just..." Eden just slipped her hand on his hip. It was only a moment... but it was enough. "We left so suddenly, I really have a lot to do at home."

Morgan finished his turn and set his cue down. He muttered something to Eden, giving her a smile. She never took her eyes off him as he stepped away, her gaze scanning his entire magnificently sculpted body.

Emily tried to shake that thought from her mind. She longed for the time she could look at him without admiring his body... wanting to run her hands along every ripple and muscle.

"Two more, please." Morgan ordered from the bar tender as he stood next to the girls. He took a seat next to Emily, who's eyes remained in front of her. She couldn't have more focus straight ahead if she were trying to drive through a blizzard.

"You girls having a good time?" Morgan asked, glancing beside him. The red in her cheeks warm and bright enough to add light to the dim, smokey pub.

"Yeah, I guess." Garcia uttered, taking a sip of her drink. "It's hard to enjoy myself knowing the reason why we're here."

Morgan waited for Emily to respond, but she was trying to pretend he wasn't there. She took a swig of beer, feeling his gaze on her, warming her like a bonfire.

"If you girls are up for it, we could make our little game a foursome." He suggested. "You want to join us?"

Glaring, Emily turned to him. She had a thousand things she wanted to say. She wanted to hurt him, to infect his mind the same as he'd done to her, so he could think of nothing else. But words had failed her. She couldn't find one to utter, like she'd suddenly gone mute.

"I'm game if she is." Garcia exclaimed. "What do you say, Em? Ready to beat the pants off them?"

"Oh, Baby Girl, you don't have to beat me to get my pants off." Morgan said with a wink and a grin. Garcia answered it with a giggled.

Emily, however, found no humor in this. Just as the bar tender set Morgan's round down, Emily slid off her stool. "Excuse me, I have to check my messages."

Storming across the pub, Emily headed into the back. Down a small corridor led to the restrooms and two pay phones. Grabbing one, she pretended to punch in numbers to reach her home in America, and leaned against the wall, her back to the crowd.

She sensed him before she heard him. Morgan couldn't leave her alone, pretending to use the other phone in the same fashion.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Morgan muttered, his hands drumming on the top of the phone as he pretended to wait for a connection.

"Not with you. I was sure that was clear by now." She snapped in a soft tone.

"Really? Because you were certainly keen to be near me a few hours ago." He mentioned. He was done with the charade, hanging up the receiver. He turned to look at her, folding his arms. "Have you accessed your uncrazy side yet? Are you thinking a little more rationally now?"

Slamming down the phone, Emily turned to him, her eyes ready to set flame to his body. "You're an asshole." She hissed, her teeth gritted, making her seem even more dangerous.

"Oh, am I?" He asked. "You want to clarify that?"

"I was really starting to think you care about me." The jealousy gushed from her before she couldn't even realize what she was saying. "You gave me this beautiful night with you, you treated me like no one ever came close to. But you turn around and keep chasing everything in a skirt which means I obviously don't mean anything more to you an easy lay? Right?"

"Prentiss-" He started to say.

"So I gave you a clean break. I don't think much of myself, but I deserve more than to be treated like dirt by you. I want to waste my time who will give me a little more respect than that."

He leaned down, staring deeply into her soul with his persuasive eyes. "You don't even know what you want, Prentiss. And even if you did, you're too damaged to hang on to it."

Emily had a creeping suspicion he was right. She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted him. She wanted to be the most selfish she had ever been. She wanted to be his and never let another woman touch him for as long as she could... but once again, she was silent.

He stood and waited for her to dispute his words. Why couldn't she just tell him? He focused on her lips, as he always did when he was a bout to kiss her. Emily almost closed her eyes, in anticipation to feel his lips, but she stood her ground. And at last, he stood to walk off.

"Oh, there you guys are." JJ exclaimed, sounding in a rush. "We need to get back to the station."

Their spat forgotten for the moment as Emily and Morgan became concerned. "What for, Jay?" Emily asked.

"Hotch will explain, I have to try to contact Reid." She quickly hurried away with her cell in hand, going towards the entrance of the pub.

Morgan glanced at Emily. Only a few select things could pull them back into work at night, and none of them could be good. Their fight forgotten, the two became partners again, silently debating everything that could be happening. Without a word, they went in search of the team.

* * *

><p>The room was perfect. There were candles lit all around the room, giving off a tropical scent. Most the lights were turned down, giving the room a romantic glow. Reid was ready for bed, in pajama pants and a t-shirt. He was comfortable and relaxed and soon he'd have his beautiful wife in his arms for the whole night.<p>

If she ever came out of the bathroom that was.

It had been silent for awhile. He heard her changing ten minutes ago, but now there was nothing. She'd been in there almost as long as she had on their wedding night. What was taking her so long?

He tried to be patient, sitting on the edge of the bed in wait. He watched the golden door knob in anticipation for it to turn, opening the door to reveal Riley in another glorious nightgown that showed off her spectacular body. It was hard to keep so diligent. Thinking and dreaming of this moment for days, and after so many failed attempts, it was hard to keep still.

After another five minutes, Reid called, "Sweetheart, are you alright in there?"

There was a long silence before he heard, "Uh... I'm just, having some... trouble..."

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

"Oh, I'm fine." She grumbled. "It's just... I just need a few more minutes, I have to change."

"I thought you were changing." He was confused. Riley did that to him better than anyone.

She let out a loud sigh. "I was... I mean, I did change, but I have to change again, I don't know what I was thinking. I'll be out soon."

"I don't understand." Reid called. "What are you wearing?"

"You don't want to know." She called through the door.

Just the secrecy of it was intriguing, and Reid was half tempted to whip open the bathroom door to see for himself. "Just tell me, what are you wearing?"

At first he assumed she refused, but after a minute, she replied. "Well... Garcia gave me something... at my bridal shower."

"Yeah, that afghan she made us." Reid nodded. "I don't understand, what-"

"No, that was our wedding present... all the girls got me some lingerie, but Garcia's... is a bit of a different taste."

"I'm not surprised about that." He called. "Are you wearing it?"

"Yes, but I'm taking it off right now." She announced.

Reid was much too curious to let her do that. "Well... can I see it first?"

"Absolutely not, I look ridiculous!" She cried.

"I sincerely doubt that." He corrected. "I want to see what you look like."

"I look like an extra in Moulin Rouge, and not in a good way. And there is no way in this lifetime I am letting my husband have this image of me in his eidetic memory." She exclaimed.

Now Reid had to see this, and if she didn't let him, he was going to open that door. "Please just let me see for myself, don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you," She replied. "But this is humiliating. I do not have the body to pull something like this off. You'll be both amused and disgusted at the same time, and not in the least bit aroused."

"Riley, please." He begged. "You could never disgust me. If I don't like it, I'll say so. And then you can change. But you could at least let me make that judgement for myself."

There was a silence and Reid knew he had won. He heard a loud, grumbling sigh on the other side of the door and at last saw the handle turn.

"If you laugh, we are never having sex again." She announced.

"Understood." He stated, trying not to grin.

His grin faded at once, however, as the door opened and she stepped out. Because he did indeed feel like he'd stepped into some kind of fantasy. A wonderful fantasy Reid would never even hope of fulfilling.

Most of the outfit consisted of a corset, red with lace and partially transparent. Her arms were bare with the lace straps going over her shoulder. Her hips and along her backside were poofed out with black and red feathers, that guided down her legs, matching the red nylons held up by a silk garter belt. Reid knew immediately why his friend had bought that for her. It made Riley look like an old fashion magician's assistant, perfect for someone who'd been fascinated by magic his entire life.

He didn't say anything for the longest time, just staring at her. Riley was starting to fidget, waiting for the okay to rush back in and change. His impassive expression that had frozen his face worried her more with every passing second.

"Well?" She finally pressed. "Could you please tell me what you're thinking?"

"What am I thinking?" Reid asked, unable to take his eyes off the flow of her curves in this new attire. "I'm thinking... if a dozen roses will be enough of a thank you for Garcia."

Her face turned red, but she smiled, "You actually like this?"

He stood up, taking in her entire form up and down. "You're beautiful, Riley... you're... amazing doesn't even describe it. How could you ever doubt that?"

"Because I look horrible. I don't have one those perfect, petite little bodies this type of outfit was designed for. I'm too tall, my stomach's too flabby, and my thighs... I really don't get the obsession you have with my legs, because they're disg-"

He silenced her with a kiss before she could finish. She moaned softly, her arms draping over his shoulders as his hands moved carefully on her feathered hips.

Riley's eyes slowly opened as their lips parted, glazed over from such a passionate kiss. "You're right, Riley. You're body is not perfect, but I love it. It's perfect to me. It's unique and graceful and elegant... and most importantly, it's mine. You always look beautiful, you do... but if you think you don't look incredible like this... you might be crazier than my mother."

Reid never joked about his mother's insanity. That came as such a shock, and Riley knew he was completely sincere at that. It sent all her insecurity out the window. She grinned biting her lip as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I never knew you went for this kind of thing, Dr. Reid."

"I don't, actually." He said, smiling. "My last girlfriend before you - Austin - she wore something like this once. Not as extravagant, but similar. It didn't turn me on, it just made me uncomfortable , like I was disrespecting her by staring at her in it... But on you..." He pressed a light kiss to her lips, "...it's different." He mumbled into their kiss, pulling her closer. "I can't take my eyes off you. Just standing there... you're driving me crazy."

"I think we've wasted enough time." She muttered. "Let's get on with our honeymoon."

He smiled into their kiss before they started up again. Reid at once led her to the bed as he felt her hands move under his t-shirt. He pulled away for a moment to let her pull it over his head. Like a magnet, his lips fell back to hers again as her knees hit the bed.

She grinned seductively as she let herself fall back onto the bed, wiggling away from him slowly. Not letting her get away, Reid quickly joined her, ghosting over her body to get to her level, kissing her again. Riley sighed again as their bodies moved closer, his one hand gliding over her thigh onto her hip, letting his body settle between her legs. Her hands messed with the hem of his pants as she heard him start to giggle.

"What's so funny?" She asked as she slipped away, meeting his eyes with concern.

"Nothing," He grinned. "It's just... your feathers are tickling me."

She hadn't thought of that. Riley let out a chuckle as he kissed her again, her fingers teasing him as they traced on his chest. His lips pulled from hers as he moved down her neck to the flesh of her collar bone. Riley moaned as her fingers lost themselves in his long chestnut hair.

But their happiness was short lived. Just like that morning, the cellphone on the side table sounded again, with the unwelcomed ringtone filling the room.

Riley could feel Reid's attention begin to fade, bringing her hands to cup his cheeks. "Ignore it," she demanded between kisses, trying to keep his focus on her.

He knew it was the team. They knew they wanted to be alone tonight, so they would only be calling if something were incredibly important. But regardless, he tried to just forget about it. He gave a shrug, "That's what voicemail is for."

"Precisely," She smiled, immediately picking up where they left off. The phone soon silenced, leaving the two lovers alone. They'd barely forgotten about it before it started again.

He was having doubts this time. Reid pulled away, looking in her eyes. "Maybe I should answer it."

"They'll get the message, just leave it alone." She ordered. "Tonight is supposed to be for us."

"Exactly, and they know that. So they wouldn't call unless it were serious." He informed, not wanting to just abandon her.

"No, Spencer, pleased!" She whimpered, tears starting to burn in her eyes. "It's been days, we've had no time alone, I just want to be with my husband tonight."

"I want that, too. If it is nothing, I'll just be a minute." He tried his best to pull from her embrace gently.

Riley knew it wasn't nothing. Whatever it was could wait an hour or two. She grabbed his arm to try and hold him back. "Spencer, please... Do not answer that phone!"

He wanted to give into her, but even if he could ignore the phone, he wouldn't be able to focus. He'd be too concerned as to what that call was about. "I'm sorry, I have to."

At last he pulled away and grabbed the phone. "Reid," he answered.

He sat on the edge of the bed as he listened to the other line. Riley waited, silently begging he'd hang up in a moment and return to her arms. "Really?" he asked, sounding amazed. "How long ago was that?"

Another long pause and he nodded. "So they don't know anything yet?" More silence followed before he let out a groan. "JJ, can't that wait until morning?"

Riley pulled herself up into a sitting position. Her heart felt like it was splitting in two as Reid responded with "Okay... yeah, I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

She looked to the ceiling, willing herself not to start crying. "I'll tell her... bye."

The phone flipped closed. Reid didn't want to see what heart breaking sight was behind him. "I have to go back to the Yard."

"Big surprise." She grumbled at last climbing off the bed. She made a beeline for the bathroom. Reid hurried after her, grabbing her arm.

"I'm sorry," he cried, grabbing her arm. "But they found two more victims... and the girl is still alive. Just barely, but she was still breathing when they found her. She's on her way to the hospital as we speak."

Riley knew she should be sympathetic. She should feel some grief for the poor people who suffered at the hand of this killer, for the girl fighting for her life right now, but after so many days of ruined plans, Riley's nerves were wearing thin.

"Why do you have to go? There's nothing you can do for her right now." She demanded.

"Well, her husband is dead and... I'm going to meet the others to discuss the new evidence. We're right on the unsubs tail, we can't waste any time."

She nodded, her eyes swimming with disappointed tears. "I see."

"I'm sorry... and the team is so sorry, JJ told me to tell you that."

"Okay." Obviously, she was not ready to accept anyone's apology right now.

Reid brushed her cheek. "I should only be a few hours, I'll be back by midnight."

"I'll be asleep by then!" She cried, backing away like his touch burned her. "Because we have to work in the morning; we're on vacation and we're working on a serial murder case, thanks to you."

"Riley," he whined. "I know I keep saying this, but, I am so sorry. I will make this up to you, I promise-"

"Don't!" She yelled. "Stop making promises! Because you don't do anything but break them! You've promised me every night that we'd be alone, but we still haven't. You once promised me that you would spend every day making me as happy as you. Are you just not happy anymore or did that promise expire once we were married?"

"That's not the case and you know it!" He yelled, letting his anger get the best of him. "I'm sorry this is happening and I know it's my fault. I hate hurting you like this, don't make it seem like I'm doing it on purpose."

"Well, it's a little hard to see it any other way!" She brushed aside some of her wild curls, letting out a sigh. She held up a hand, indicating she was done with him. "I'm going to bed, and if I were you, I suggest you sleep on the couch tonight if you value your safety!"

With that, she wrenched her arm out of his grasp. Riley stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door, revealing silence in the room once more.

Reid quickly got dressed again, wishing Riley would come back out to make up before he left. He hated leaving her when they were in a fight.

But she didn't. Instead, he heard her soft, gentle sobbing coming from inside the bathroom. Reid felt his heart break at the sound, wanting to run in there and put his arm around her.

He would have, but he had to leave. The sooner he was done, the sooner he could get back to her. Instead, he finished dressing, grabbed his belongings, and left.

* * *

><p>Scotland Yard was the calmest he'd ever seen it. Minimal officers were on staff and it was almost silent. Reid headed to meet the others, stopping in the break room for coffee. He could already feel his energy fading and needed all the help he could get.<p>

And he wasn't the only one with that idea. Sure enough, as he stepped in, Emily was pouring herself a mug, looking up as he stepped in.

"Hey, there you are." She said with a tired smile. " Haven't gotten a real chance to talk to you yet."

Reid gave her a warm hug this time, holding her much more tightly than a usual greeting. Without a word, Emily could sense the torment he was in. "What's going on, kiddo?"

"Riley's mad at me." He muttered as he let her go. He leaned on the counter as Emily took the intuitive and got him some coffee. "After JJ called, we got in a fight... she was crying in the bathroom when I left. I wanted to comfort her, I just... I don't know how to make this better. She feels like I don't care about her."

"Can you blame her?" Emily asked with a tilt of her head. "Deep down she knows it's not true, but negative feelings tend to mask the truth sometimes."

"I know... but I still hate to make her cry." He looked over to meet her eyes.

With a pat to his arm, "And you wouldn't if you didn't care about her. It's no surprise this is hard on you guys, but you've gotten through worse. In an hour or two, her anger will have lifted and you two will make up. If memory serves, this isn't the first major fight you've had."

Reid let out a laugh. She was right. For two people who loved each other so much, he and Riley did fight a lot. It was just a result of two head strong people sharing a life together. And with that in mind, he felt better, turning to Emily in order to get a real look at her.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry about earlier today." He stated. "I was just-"

"Don't be sorry." She ushered, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have barked at you like that, I was just... upset."

"About Morgan?" He wondered.

"Wh-why... why would you think it had anything to do with Morgan? Anything?" She stammered. "I couldn't care less what Morgan's doing-"

"Emily, relax." Reid assured. "It's just the two of you aren't getting along. I was just looking out for you."

She had to stop jumping down her friends' throat like that, otherwise they were going to realize what was going on. Or had been going on. Or was still going on. Not even Emily knew what was happening anymore... or even worse, what she wanted to happen. Letting out a calming breath, she shook her head. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

With one of his famous intrigued expressions, Reid announced "You're my friend, Emily. I care about you. If you're having a problem, how can I not worry?"

It was her turn to get a strong hug from him. She pulled him into her arms, leaning into him for support. "That wife of yours better know how lucky she is. Because you're an amazing guy, Reid."

With a sad smile, he answered as he pulled away. "Yeah, some guy. I've ruined her honeymoon and made her cry more times this week than in the entire three years I've known her."

She handed Reid his coffee, "Come on, let's get to the others so you can get back to her and start making this up to her."

Reid certainly liked that thinking. Taking his drink, he followed Emily to the conference room, once again setting to work with the entire team.

* * *

><p>AN: Whoo hoo, I got my internet back! Let's just hope this hurricane doesn't knock it out again. (And anyone on the east coast right now, please know all my prayers are with you guys! Be safe!)

Again, I did proof read this a few days ago, but it's late and I promised myself I'd post this before I went to bed. So please excuse any errors. (And any Retrograde fans, I'm working on the next few chapters. Got a lot of ideas, just need to organize them on paper. So hang in there.) Enjoy guys, and review! :)


	18. Look to the Left

The others settled around the table once again with the inspectors, each accepting the file on the new victims from Bradbury. Hotch began explaining the evidence almost as fast as Reid could devour it.

"Harris and Sarah Neilson," He stated, "Another newlywed couple from Dublin. They had checked into The Towers two days ago and were supposed to stay a total of eight days. Harris Neilson was killed just as the other males and Marcy Lemon, a fatal blow to the back of the head, along with further beating and bludgeoning. Sarah had her throat slit and had nearly bled to death when the chamber maid found her over an hour ago."

"It's amazing she survived." Emily stated. "Any word on her condition?"

"The hospital will call once they have a definite update." Hotch explained. "Their theory is the unsub only nicked the carotid artery, that's how she was able to hang on longer."

"That seems like a rookie mistake." Morgan noticed.

"He might have been in a hurry to get away." Suggested Paul. "Maybe he heard someone coming in the room or in the hall or simply startled by something."

Rossi nodded in agreement. "That's a definite possibility. This unsub isn't doing this because he can't control his urges, he's more on some kind of a mission. And that means he doesn't want to get caught yet."

"And he won't until he feels his message has been heard." Hotch added.

"Well, I think I speak for everyone here when I say 'Message received'." Eden announced.

Hotch corrected with a shake of his head. "Not in his eyes. In fact, he believes that no one is listening. Alright, we don't have much time. Let's hope Mrs. Neilson survives, we need a witness. JJ, you're going to work with me and Inspector Bradbury, it's time we have a press conference. Now that we're on a clearer trail, it's appropriate to alert the public."

"Will I be presenting?" She wondered.

"No, I think it's best if a local takes this. The murders are based in London, there's no reason international authorities need to take over. But I want you to set it up, coach Bradbury on what you would say."

"Yes, sir." JJ said. She closed her file, ready to at last be of real use.

"Reid," Hotch called as he looked, "Anything useful in the complaint file?"

"Yes, actually, involving both the McClarens and the Littles." He stated.

"The Littles? I thought they were staying at the Waterfall." Emily spoke.

"Before, we couldn't figure out why someone as successful as Lawrence Little was staying at the hotel?" Reid pointed out. "That's because they were registered to stay at the Grislow."

"Why didn't they?" Asked Garcia.

"The reservation was lost." He replied. "In fact... they were supposed to have the suite across from me and Riley."

He hadn't expected the sudden silence in the room, everyone staring at him, startled. He hadn't expected them to be so shocked. "What?"

"Reid," Hotch said, slowly, "Maybe we should get you and Riley a room at our hotel-"

"No, you don't," He exclaimed. "I admit it's unusual, but it is a coincidence. We weren't even supposed to be in that room, remember?"

"They lost your reservation, too, didn't they?" JJ suggested, hoping he'd see the irony just as they had.

"No, it was moved because the McClarens were killed." Reid stated, though that didn't make it sound much better. "It has nothing to do with us. Look, if it were just couples at the Grislow, I'd say your concern has merit, but there are three other hotels and a private apartment with no apparent connection. How do you explain those?"

Hotch considered his words for a moment before looking to their tech analyst. "Garcia, look into the other victims, see if they had a run in with the Grislow Hotel or anyone who works there."

"Wouldn't that already be in the red file?" Morgan questioned before Garcia could agree.

"Not if they didn't actually make a complaint." Reid replied. "Guests have to state to a manager that they want to lodge a formal complaint for it to be recorded. We've stayed in enough hotels to know that."

"There may be evidence elsewhere, maybe in police records or other hotel files. If all else fails, contact friends and family of the victims." Hotch ordered.

Garcia made a note, her pink fuzzy pen scribbling fiercely over the note pad before her. "I am all over it, sir. With any luck, I'll have some results by sunrise."

"Morgan and Emily, go with the other inspectors to the hotel, profile the crime scene. See if they match Lemon's office in any way. I'd like the inspectors to help Rossi speak to the night staff, see if they spotted anything out of the ordinary. If they spoke to the victims at all during their stay, if they had any complaints about The Towers, like at the Grislow."

"What do you want me to do?" Reid wondered.

He almost couldn't believe the softened expression on his boss's face, like trying to be easy, but at the same time keep his authority. "Finish going over these files, it shouldn't take you more than a half an hour. After that... you can head back to the your hotel, if you're certain you don't want to join us at ours."

Reid had only seen Hotch like this when JJ came back from her maternity leaves, not wanting to throw her into anything too stressful too soon. Maybe he felt sorry for him, sacrificing his night here with them when he could be with the woman he loved. "I'm certain... I'll look these over and present my findings in the morning."

Hotch closed his file. "It's settled then, let's get going and meet back here by 8 am. Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon, we'll have a full profile and a formed suspect list. And I'll let everyone know the news on Sarah Neilson's condition as soon as possible."

In agreement, everyone went their separate ways. Reid couldn't be happier about his assignment tonight. He actually enjoyed the meditative quality of going over paperwork, and this wouldn't take very long. In no time, he'd be back in his suite, begging his wife for forgiveness.

Fighting off his exhaustion, he took a long swig of coffee, draining the mug. Reid collected the files and moved to the long couch against the wall. This might go faster if he were more comfortable.

Stretching out on the sofa, he pulled open the first file and began to read. His best efforts did no good. Despite the coffee, his fatigue was rapidly getting the best of him. He hadn't even made it to the bottom of the first page before he fell asleep.

* * *

><p>The Towers was a very beautiful, elegant hotel, much like the Plaza in New York City. The group arrived to find a busy crowd spilling out from the lobby. The agents doubted the hotel had ever seen chaos quite like this.<p>

Inspector Paul introduced the three agents and asked for Morgan and Emily to be brought upstairs to the Neilson's suite. He seemed reluctant, wanting to put as much space between himself and that horrific mess as possible. But he couldn't disagree, and the two followed him to the elevators.

There is nothing more uncomfortable than to be trapped in a small box with nothing but tense silence for company. Morgan searched his mind for conversation, but his mind had slim ideas.

"What is it you call elevators over here?" He asked to the officer.

He gave a nervous swallow, "Lifts." He explained.

"Lifts." Morgan repeated, looking at Emily. She stared at the metal doors, like she were riding with two strangers. Morgan turned away, not wanting her to catch him. "I still have some trouble understanding you guys... with the accent and the slang and everything."

"You get used to it." Emily muttered. "Give it some time."

He fidgeted a bit in his stance. "That's good advice, Prentiss... I should listen to you more."

Almost shocked, Emily glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He stared straight ahead, falling into silence. Only the lurch of the elevator for company.

A jingle announced their floor and within a minute the doors slid open. The constable cleared his throat before taking a step and lead them down the long hall of suites. Crime tape guarded the open doors. The constable couldn't even bring himself within two feet of the door.

"The manager has informed me the guests on this floor have been moved to other rooms, so you'll have complete privacy. The crime unit has filmed and photographed the entire place so, no one should interrupt you."

"Thank you," Morgan said, "Our other agent is downstairs, we'll call down if we need anything."

"Take your time." He called, already hurrying back to the lift.

"How much do you want to bet he's done nothing but direct traffic before now?" Morgan mumbled, lifting up the tape for her.

Emily gave an inadvertent chuckle, accepting his gentlemanly gesture as she slipped in. The sight that met them was horrific. The room was trashed, like a wild party had been in here... one that went horribly wrong with the blood coating the walls. There was so much of it, the stench covered the room. Water mixed with iron. Emily tried to breathe through her mouth, waiting for nasal fatigue to kick in.

"Murder weapon," Morgan indicated. His rubber gloved hands reached down and lifted a long thin object, the top glittering a bit with red.

"What is that?" Emily asked, suspecting from the splintered wood, it was broken off from something. "A chair leg?"

"I don't think so." He said, turning it over, careful not to disturb the blood. "The top is too decorative, and the wood is much too soft to support ... I think it might be some kind of cane or walking stick. Maybe even Mr. Neilson's."

"I'll send a text to Rossi, tell him to ask the staff if they saw him walk with one." Emily whipped out her phone. "It's almost poetic, taking a possession of the victim's, something designed to help him, and using it to end his life."

"It may not be the first time." He added. Morgan carefully set it aside for forensics to wrap up later.

He moved into the bedroom where a puddle of blood had formed on the pillows. Mrs. Neilson must have laid down when the drugs began to make her drowsy, just as Lemon's assistant had. Even to have survived long enough to be taken to the hospital was indescribably lucky. Why he made a mistake like that, Morgan couldn't see any sign currently.

"If he were interrupted, as we thought, how did the unsub have time to kill Mr. Neilson before needing to get away." Morgan wondered.

Emily put her phone back on her belt. "Good point, I didn't think of that. Maybe he kills the woman after."

It was possible, but right now, there was no way to tell when exactly he did it. Emily moved to the cleaner side of the bed, searching for clues.

"I wonder where the husband went for so long." Emily said. "It seems odd a newlywed couple would spend more than a few minutes apart."

"It couldn't have been spontaneous, at least not completely. The killer knew their routine." He agreed.

"Oh," Emily cried and a moment later appeared, holding a shorter piece of wood in her hand. "I think we found the other half of the stick."

"How could it have broken?" He asked, observing it a moment.

"We don't know how tall Neilson was, but if there was a good difference of height between him and his killer, maybe he didn't hit him square in the back of the head like the others. Come here."

Doing as told, Morgan walked over. Emily's hand turned him away from her, crouching down a bit. "I'm 5'10 and you're over six feet, so that's no problem, but... let's assume the victim had at least a foot of height on his killer. He reaches up with all his force to attack him by surprise." She mimed swishing the stick down on his head, her knuckles tapping him on the neck. "It stuns him, maybe even injures him, but not enough to stop him."

"And a fight breaks out." Morgan stated, looking behind her.

"Exactly..." She searched quickly to confirm her theory. "Here." Emily rushed to the doors, separating the bedroom from the sitting area. Splintered wood ruined a small part of the wall, pieces of the cane wedged in the white paint. "He tried to strike Neilson, but he moved and thrashed the wall, snapping the stick in two. This flies under the bed and the unsub continues his pursuit."

Morgan got himself in the frame of mind. He normally put himself into the psyche of the killer, but this time his focus needed to be as a victim. "Okay... so I'm in the middle of a fight with a man who wants to kill me... I should be trying to get away." He looked back at the door, "But I can't just get out... because my wife is sleeping in bed, I can't leave her. I know I have to fight him."

Emily followed as he tried to make a trail of the mess. "Here, this is where he fell... the killer came to his senses and struck him in the knees, cutting his height."

He went to his knees and Emily came forward. "And now..." she mimed the movement again. "He strikes him in the head... and that's the fatal blow. Everything after that is rage."

"Which is also what makes him so strong." Morgan said, standing up again. "Any other time he's weak... unnoticed. Probably feels betrayed by society."

"This is his message to the world." Emily agreed. "I'd say you're right." She looked around the disheveled room, muttering under her breath. "You are so right."

Morgan cocked his head curiously, unable to ignore that. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, just forget it." She turned, moving towards the bathroom. Morgan hurried after her, climbing through the mess of the suite to catch up. The crunch of papers from open books, crushing a few pieces of porcelain into the carpet, probably from a tea cup or saucer. At last, in the safe tidiness of the bathroom, Morgan grabbed her arm.

"Emily... what's going on?" He wondered. "You know you can talk to me... you've always been able to talk to me."

"Really?" She wondered. "Because I feel like I can't talk to you about anything, I feel like I can't even look at you without feeling like I hate you... or myself."

"Alright... if I admit I am indeed a giant ass, will redeem me and let me be your friend?" He wondered.

It had barely been a day, but she felt like she hadn't seen that caring, compassionate look in years. His eyes, so rich and powerful, always able to make her weak in the knees. She sighed and pulled her arm from him, turning around.

"You're right, you know... I'm damaged. I'm so irreversibly damaged, I don't know what I want and could never keep it if I did."

"Ah, Prentiss, come on, I was just angry. I didn't mean that." He stated.

"But it's the truth. Did you know where I wanted to work when I came to Quantico? Cold Cases. I was tired of dealing with bodies and I wanted to help bring justice to people who might never have it... but I let some Bureaucrat manipulate me in order to fill her agenda. Who does that?"

"Not you. You wouldn't help Strauss, remember? And you almost gave up your career because of it. You kept your integrity and your dignity. That is what you wanted and you made sure you got it." He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek, both ignoring the sensation it generated. "And that tells me, you may not know what you want, but when it comes along... you'll hang onto it. And you won't let it go for anything. When you know it, you'll get it. I'm sure."

"Morgan," she said in a whisper. "I'm sorry... but can we please, please got back to being friends? I don't want to fight with you, I don't want to hide anymore, I just want to be us again."

"I can't say I'm entirely pleased about that, but..." He grave a shrug as he smiled, "But I have to choose, I'll take friends. It's not like things have a better outcome any other way. I'd miss you too much if I lost my best friend."

She beamed, reaching up to pull him into her arms. She breathed in the musk about him, a bit richer after almost a day without showering. She loved how he always made her sheets smell after a night of love making, like a imprint of him was forever in her bed. "Thank you."

He inhaled the sweet vanilla on her, enriched in her clothes. "Thank you, for taking back a jerk like me into your life."

"Hey," She snapped, giving a glare as she pulled away. "You talk about my partner like that, I'll kick your egotistical ass."

"Considering I whooped yours yesterday, I'd say that's a bluff." He smirked, showing off that enticing smile of his.

"Please, I was just going easy on you!" She teased him and continued her sweep of the room.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "You keep telling yourself that, Princess."

She leaned down to look under the sink, feeling a bit sad at her usual nickname. She loved when they'd be together in bed, hearing him exhale that in a whisper as his strong body lay on top of her, reaching down to her ear. At last she had exactly what she wanted... and yet felt worse than before. Like she'd lost everything.

Emily didn't notice Morgan standing behind her, staring at her with the same kind of longing. He wasn't any better than she was. Even when he knew what he wanted, he couldn't even find the courage to say it out loud, even to himself. And now he'd run out of every chance of ever making her his.

* * *

><p>The next thing Reid could register was the sound of his phone buzzing. He figured he'd only been asleep for an hour, maybe two. But as he opened his eyes, the bright morning sun sparkled through the open blinds, burning his retinas.<p>

He groaned as he shielded his eyes for a moment. His phone was still buzzing on the floor where it had fallen. The ringtone for every contact outside of the team. Sitting up a bit, he quickly grabbed it and read Riley's name.

"Hey," He managed to grumble, needing to clear his throat from sleep.

"Hey," She said on the other line. "Look to your left."

"What?" He asked, puzzled.

"Just... look to your left." She ordered.

At her command, Reid turned and glanced beside him. Immediately, he grinned, spotting a surprise. Breakfast and coffee laid out on a napkin... but even better, Riley sitting just a few seats away from it, waiting for him to wake.

She closed her phone. "After I ate mine, I was still hungry so I stole your hash browns."

"That's okay," He said, putting his phone back down. "This is so sweet."

"Well... I figured you could use it..." She stood and made her way over to him. "You know, when I said you should sleep on the couch, I meant the one in our suite. I went looking for you at 3:30 wanting to make amends."

She sat beside him on the sofa as he reached up to rub the tiredness from his eyes. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to stay here, I fell asleep by accident."

"I'm just glad you're okay, I was worried." She reached over to take his hand. "I'm sorry about last night."

"You shouldn't be sorry, you had every right to be mad." His other hand reached to brush her hair off her face. She looked much better rested than he did.

"Yeah, but I shouldn't have made you feel worse. I don't know why I said those things. I know you care about me, I know you love me."

"I do," He confirmed, his hand slipping into her hair, pulling her closer so she rested her forehead on his. "And I hate that I disappointed you. Again. You're absolutely right, I keep making you promises and I just break them. I did promise I'd spend every day making you happy. Here we are, six days into our marriage and all I've done is made you miserable."

"Spencer, I am not miserable." She argued. "This is in no way ideal and we haven't had any time alone, but... we're together. I'm happy just by the fact that... we're married. I never thought this would happen... there was a time I wasn't even sure I wanted this. Being your wife is a dream come true, don't you know that?"

Reid couldn't help but grin stupidly. "Really?"

"Yes, really." She smirked, nudging him in the ribs. "I love you, you idiot."

For some reason, he really adored when she called him an idiot. Just another reminder how much different she saw him from the rest of the world. "I love you, too."

"And you should know, Spencer. I wasn't so much mad last night as I was... frustrated." Riley attempted to explain.

He matched her simper, trying not to laugh. "Frustrated?"

"You know what I mean. You can't get a girl worked up like that and then abandon her." She informed.

"I know... but tonight will be different." He assured. "I'm not making any promises, but to the best of my ability, the entire evening is devoted to us, alone together. We'll order room service and we'll turn off our cell phones and wear out our Do Not Disturb sign."

She closed her eyes as she sighed, her arm slipping around his waist as she pulled him closer. "That sounds... pretty much perfect."

They met in a slow, sensual kiss. The newlyweds almost forgot where they were at the moment. Reid let his other hand land onto the denim of her thigh and up onto her hip. The hem of her sweater wasn't enough to stop him as his fingers moved to find the soft skin underneath. He gave soft moan as her fingers went into the tendrils of his hair, losing themselves in the essence of each other. Emily and Morgan entering the room couldn't penetrate the world they were in.

"Ugh," Morgan grumbled, spotting them. "You two make me sick."

"Don't like it, don't watch." Reid mumbled, neither one phased as their lips moved in perfect harmony.

"Oh my God, Reid. Did you sleep here?" Emily wondered, noticing the disheveled files spilled onto the floor. "I thought you headed home after you read the files."

Reid unexpectedly broke their kiss. "Oh, I never finished reading." He glanced apologetically at Riley. "I need to do that before the others get here."

"Too late," Emily informed. "Hotch and JJ just got here from the press conference, they'll be here in a minute.

Reid bent down to clean up his mess, getting to the table to read. He took a long swig of his coffee, which would have burned his mouth had it not cooled down already, and sat to work.

Sitting beside him, Riley noticed how Emily claimed the seat right next to Morgan. At first, it seemed the tension between them was gone, but it was just an illusion. There was still something off about them, like they were keeping something from the others... and from each other.

"Where's Garcia?" Hotch asked as he and JJ hurried in.

"She was here late working, I told her to go to the hotel and get some rest." Morgan replied. "Unlike some of us who like to sleep on the job."

Reid looked up to glare at him while Emily asked, "Did you hear anything on Sarah Neilson?"

"Yes," He stated. "And it seems Sarah Neilson is going to pull through. She's our first and only surviving victim."

"It could mean the unsub's devolving." Morgan realized. "He could start making a lot more mistakes, it'll be easier to catch him."

"And his kills are going to become sooner and more erratic. Let's get him before it comes to that." Hotch stated.

"How long until Mrs. Neilson is ready to talk?" JJ asked.

"It has to be now." Hotch replied. "We can't wait. He could strike another couple tonight. Reid,"

"Yes, sir," Reid asked, sitting up.

"I think it best if you and Riley go and speak to her. You're the best at physical profiling and Riley has the training to get her to open up, you'll be able to get the best information. Find out all you can about what she did last, down to the last detail. She's at Marbury Hospital on the trauma ward."

"I'll call to tell them you're coming." JJ added, grabbing her phone.

"Thanks, JJ," Reid said, grabbing to start on his breakfast. "Well, at least we'll get to see some of the city."

"No offense by Marbury Hospital was no on my list of sites I wanted to visit." Riley replied. Standing up, she grabbed her coffee cup. "But it'll keep us busy because the sooner today is over," She leaned down to press a kiss on his cheek. "The sooner we have tonight."

Reid watched until she was out of the room, heading to get more coffee. Reid had a better feeling, that things were going to go much differently this time. And they would get their time alone. Because being married to her was the greatest thing he could ask for... and the greater something was, the better the odds were something - or someone - would want to take it away.


	19. Words of Wisdom

Driving down the dirt path, Reid and Riley got their first sight of Marbury Hospital. The large building of red brick must have been standing at least a hundred years from the looks of it. It had a foreboding appearance to it, much like the sanitarium Diana Reid resided in. Unlike the road, the wrap around drive was pathed, surrounding the entire establishment. Reid was having a lot of trouble adjusting to these new traffic laws, trying his best to steer the vehicle into a spot in the visitor's parking area.

Clouds were gathered in the sky, as far as the eye could see. Reid adjusted his coat as Riley hurried over to walk with him. "Looks like it's going to rain again." He mentioned as they started heading to the entrance.

"Maybe it'll snow." She added, glancing at him with smirk.

Reid matched her smile. He put his arm around her and pulled her against him. "I hope so." He replied as her arms instinctively wrapped around his middle. He leaned over to place a kiss on the top of her head.

They walked up the steps and through the stone archway to the entrance. The lobby was quiet this early in the morning, without a single person in the waiting area. A young nurse sat at reception, her uniform looked like something out of the 1960s, in a white button up dress and a hat nestled in her honey blonde hair.

"May I help you?" She asked pleasantly as the two approached.

"Yes, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid, I'm assisting Scotland Yard on an investigation. I'm here to speak to Sarah Neilson, she's a trauma patient brought in last night."

"One moment, please." She said, picking up her phone to make a call. Reid looked around the lobby, observing the building. It was a bit dark in here, the walls painted a sage color. This place had a very unfriendly feel. In fact, it would seem like the perfect place for a black and white horror film. All that was missing was the Hershey syrup dripping on the walls.

"Yes, sir. I'll tell them, thank you, sir." The nurse said, pulling Reid's attention back. She hung up the phone, looking to the couple. "The Trauma Ward is on floor five and Mrs. Neilson is in room 523."

She grabbed two visitor passes, handing one to each of them. "Thank you," Reid said, clipping his on. Once she was ready, he took Riley's hand and lead her to the elevators, making their way to the fifth floor.

Riding up, they were alone in the car. Reid's eyes remained straight ahead, focused intently on the upcoming interview. He didn't realize Riley was staring at him until he felt her fingers swipe a lock of his chestnut brown hair, tucking it behind his ear.

He loved that tingling sensation he got when he touched her. She tried to muffle a giggle as the tip of her finger running along his jawline. At last, Reid turned to meet the sparkling eyes that had enchanted him since they met.

"What's so funny?" He wondered, quizzical.

"Nothing... it's just... us alone in an elevator, going to question a victim in the hospital, who can't talk... I'm having a sense of Deja Vu."

Reid grinned a bit, feeling his face turn warm. "At least this time we're not fighting." He said, he released her hand to run it along her waist, barely able to feel her lithe body through her coat.

"You never experience Deja Vu, do you?" Riley asked, moving a bit closer to him. "You remember everything."

"Sometimes, I get some kind of intuition that one experience is similar to another... I don't know if that's necessarily Deja Vu... and I wouldn't say I remember everything." He corrected, his eyes running over her figure, replaying the old scene in her head. "I do remember that day, though... I remember every word of that fight, I remember how hurt I was..." It seemed almost painful to think back on the worse moments of their relationship. "I remember how much I hated you... how much I hated being in love you."

Riley despised herself for bringing it up. Her head reached up to brush his cheek. "God, I put you through so much... you didn't deserve any of that, why did you ever marry me-"

"I told you, I don't care." His arm going around her waist to pull her close to him. "I know you only put me through that because you were scared, you loved me and you were too afraid you'd lose me. But now you know I'm not going anywhere. We're together now and nothing is going to pull us apart again. And that's a promise I know I can keep."

She beamed at him. Maybe it was his imagination, but despite the constant disappointment during this week, he could not remember a time before they were married that she looked so happy. She pressed a light kiss to him, just wanting to forget where they were and devour his lips. "Speaking of promises.. I've been thinking about tonight."

"Really?" He asked, amused. "Like what?"

"Well..." She grinned, seeming so innocent and sinful at the same time. "While I was shopping the other day, I bought everything we need for a hot, relaxing bubble bath. I know how much you like those."

"Hmm," he murmured, thinking a moment. "You know, it's not the bath I like, it's the wet, naked girl inside it."

She giggled again, leaning closer. "You do look awfully cute in bubbles. I was thinking we'd start with dinner..." She pecked him a kiss, "And then we'll have a long soak in the tub before we have some... dessert."

"By dessert, I don't think you mean cheesecake and ice cream." Reid's arms held her against, her feet barely steadied on the ground, her weight supported by his.

"No... but there may be strawberries and chocolate sauce involved." At last, she pulled him into a long kiss. Barely a moment passed before the elevator sounded, the doors sliding open. Neither noticed nor cared, lost in their own world once again.

"Pardon me," an elderly man in a lab coat grumbled, startling the newlyweds, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I don't believe the hospital lift is the proper place for a snog."

"No, sir, it's not." Reid said, avoiding his eyes as he whipped his mouth. Riley trembled next to him, trying to hide her giggles. "We apologize, we'll be on our way."

Grabbing Riley's hand, he pulled her passed the doctor quickly and hurried down the floor. Once out of ear shot, Riley let her laughter go, and Reid couldn't help but smile with her.

But their happiness faded almost as fast as it came, soon remembering why they were here. Room 523 came into view as they went down another corridor. As they approached, the door opened and a young woman stepped out. Her strawberry blonde hair fitted in a bun on her head and her bright green eyes behind a pair of owl frames. She shielded herself from the cold, wrapping her grey cardigan as close to her body as possible.

Both were confused, knowing their victim wouldn't be well enough to be up and around yet. "Excuse me, we were told this is is Sarah Neilson's room."

She seemed confused as to why they were questioning her, eyeing them with caution. But at last she nodded, speaking with a soft Irish accent. "Sarah's my older sister, my name is Bridget Murphy."

"Hello, Miss Murphy." Reid said, offering his hand. "I'm Dr. Spencer Reid, this is my wife, Riley. We're assisting Scotland Yard on your sister's case and we're here to question her."

"It's Mrs. Murphy, I'm a widow." She corrected. She sounded so tired. "And I'm afraid my sister can't say much because of her injuries, she's rather groggy from the dose of drugs she was given. Not to mention incredibly traumatize by the whole ordeal. I'm not sure she'll be up for this."

"Perhaps, you can help us in the questioning," Riley suggested. It was a psychological technique to get on her good side. "You know your sister well, you may be able to help us fill in any blanks. Your very presence could help us gain your sister's trust."

"Normally we'd wait until your sister is healthy enough, but we don't have time to spare." Reid explained. "We need to speak with her."

The only hope they had was if Bridget agreed. They couldn't go back and get a warrant to talk to Mrs. Neilson, even if they were home. But it seemed their words of sympathy were enough for her. Bridget nodded, opening the door again to allow them inside.

It was darker inside the hospital room, with most of the lights turned down so as to allow the young woman to sleep. Like her sister, she had long strawberry blonde hair, long and curly. She had delicate features and an elegant figure. Reid wouldn't have been surprised to learn she was a model or actress of some kind. Her neck was wrapped in a bandage, her skin sickly pale as her body tried to recover from such a loss of blood.

Bridget went to one side of the bed while Reid and Riley stood on the other. "She's been drifting in and out of sleep for the last hour, if she won't stay awake, I won't force her."

"Understood," Reid replied.

"Sarah," she whispered softly, shaking her sister a bit. "Sarah... you need to wake up, Sweetie."

After a minute of jostling, Sarah gave a harsh gurgle, slowly opening her eyes. Her pupils were indeed dilated; a result of the drugs. She glanced to her right, spotting the visitors in the room. Her breathing became a little faster, nervous and scared. She tried to speak, but all they heard was the start of a whisper.

"It's alright, Sarah." Bridget explained. She sat on the edge of her bed, gripping her hand. "They're with Scotland Yard, they want to talk to you about what happened."

"Mrs. Neilson," Reid began. "We're very sorry for both your loss and what you had to endure. We're doing everything we can to catch the man who did this to you. My name is Spencer Reid, and this is my wife, Riley."

Her eyes softened as she learned that, nodding, "Thank you..." she hissed. "I... I'm not..."

Talking was a real chore for her and Riley grabbed her other hand. "Try not to talk anymore than you have to." She said softly. "Your sister will try to explain anything she can, we just need to ask you a few questions."

Reid spoke immediately, not wanting to draw this out for the poor woman. "Mrs. Neilson, do you know the man who attacked you?"

An easy answer; Sarah shook her head. Tears were already forming in her eyes. "Did you let your attacker into your hotel room?"

Again, she shook her head. At least that meant he broke in on every attack, most likely. "Where had your husband gone, Mrs. Neilson? Do you know?"

She took several deep breaths, trying to speak. "Mobile," was all she could utter.

"He got a ring on his mobile?" Bridget asked, and Sarah nodded.

"Do you know from who?" Riley wondered.

Sarah's eyes traveled up to Bridget, and instantly her little sister looked guilty. "It was from me... I work... worked, for Harris. He's a professor at Dublin University, I'm in the middle of graduate school and Harris hired me as an assistant. I was... having trouble with his computer system and I didn't want to lose his files. He was about to get published, I couldn't let him lose his work."

"Mrs. Murphy, this is not your fault." Reid assured. "If the unsub hadn't attacked while you were on the phone with him, he would have found another time."

"Do you know how you were drugged, Mrs. Neilson?" Riley wondered. "Did your attacker force anything down your throat? Feed you anything?"

She shook her head again. "What did you do while your husband was talking to your sister?" Reid asked.

Another moment, and Sarah answered, "T... t..."

"Tea?" Riley wondered. "You had a cup of tea?"

She nodded, letting out a relieved breath. "Did you put anything unusual into the tea?" Reid wondered.

Again, she shook her head. "She only puts sugar in her tea, she wouldn't put something odd in it. Why are you asking this? What purpose does this serve?" Bridget demanded. She was getting quickly annoyed with this interrogation.

Riley took a glance at Reid. There was still no sign as to how the drugs were getting into the victims' bodies. "And you had fallen asleep before your husband returned?"

Sarah was about to nod as Bridget exclaimed, "I don't see the reason for all these questions. She doesn't know anything about her killer. And what qualifications do you have to be working on this? How do we know you're not friends with the horrible bloke who did this to my poor sister."

She stroked her sister's hand in worry as Reid began to explain. "My wife and I work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation back in America. I'm a profiler, my team and I travel all over our country investigating serial crimes just like this. My wife is a psychiatrist with the Bureau, she's here because of her expertise with human psychology, especially with troubled victims."

"And Scotland Yard asked for you to come all the way across the pond to help on this?" Bridget sounded a bit amazed.

"No," Riley corrected. "We were already in London when we learned about the case. My husband's team joined us and we've been working with the inspectors."

That must have seemed very odd to both the girls. "Why were you here in the first place?" Bridget asked. Sarah waited with interest, wanting to know the answer as well.

Reid cleared his throat apprehensively, as Riley carefully replied, "We're on our honeymoon."

Sarah gave the hiss of a gasp, looking at the ceiling with sad eyes. There was no stopping the tears now, seeing this newlywed couple before and knowing she lost the person she loved most in the world. Bridget grasped her one hand tighter, brushing aside some of her reddish hair from her temple. Riley clung to her other hand, grateful to feel Reid's land on her shoulder.

* * *

><p>With permission, Reid stayed behind to quickly examine Mrs. Neilson's injuries. There was a lot he could tell about the killer just from the slice alone. Riley kept Bridget company in the hall, trying to see if there was more she could learn about the two victims.<p>

"You and your sister must be close." Riley noted. "You flew all the way from Dublin at a moment's notice to be with her."

"Wouldn't you if your sister was almost killed?" She asked, amazed.

"I wouldn't know, I don't have any siblings." She explained. "In fact... Spencer's really the only family I have."

"Oh," Bridget looked at her with both adoration and envy. "It's so sweet, seeing two people in love like you... I miss that."

Riley understood, pitying her the same as she had for her sister. "I'm sorry... how long since your husband passed?"

"Almost two years." She said. "We weren't married very long... oh, but he was my world. The kind of love you only get once, you know. Well... of course you know."

The smile that spread on her face couldn't be helped. "Yeah... I do."

She folded her arms as she stared Riley up and down, seeming to study her. She seemed to carry such wisdom in her eyes. Like she'd seen and experienced a lot more than she should have in her young life, and none of it good.

"You two seem very happy, I can tell just by how you act with each other that your very much in love." Bridget assumed.

"Well, this hasn't exactly been a dream honeymoon, but I'm happy... and I think Spencer's happy." Riley gave a shrug.

Her smile was sad, like she were trying to be happy for the couple. "Mrs. Reid, I know I'm a bit younger than you. Maybe I don't have the right, but... you should take my advice." Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at the ceiling. "You have no idea how quickly the one you love can be taken away from you. If I had known that minute was going to be the last with my husband..." She brushed a tear away and met her eyes again. "Just... don't take him for granted. Because you never know when the last time you're together... will be the last time."

Riley was both touched and frightened by her words of wisdom. She always feared when Reid went out of town that he wasn't going to come back to her. She had thought he was dead once and had gone through three weeks of hell until she had him back. Riley ignored the shudder on her spine as she stepped forward, asking tentatively. "How did your husband die, Mrs. Murphy? If you don't mind my asking."

"An accident." She responded. "It was very sudden... one moment he was here... and the next..." Her bright green eyes looked up to meet her brown ones, "he was gone."

The door at last opened and Reid stepped out. "Thank you, Mrs. Murphy. Sarah's resting again. If your sister thinks of anything else, or if you need anything, please give us a call at Scotland Yard."

"As soon as she's a bit more lucid, I'll let you speak to her again. Maybe there's something she can't tell us at the moment." Bridget noted.

"Thank you," Reid replied. Bridget stepped into the room, the door closing them out in the corridor once more. Reid looked to Riley, giving a small smile. "Hey, you know we have some time. You want to grab some lunch before we-"

His words were cut off as Riley took him by surprise. She rushed forward, throwing her arms around him. Her one hand cradled the back of his head as her lips pressed to the spot below his ear. "I love you," she whispered.

Reid's arms went around her waist, holding her just as tight. "I love you, too." He said, a little surprised. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," She said as she pulled away, her eyes wide and innocent. "I'm just... I'm sorry about last night. I'm sorry I let my temper get he best of me. You deserve better than that and I love you. No matter what happens on this trip and for the rest our lives, you mean everything to me. If I ever take you for granted... I need you to know I love you."

"I don't know everything," Reid explained. "Despite what most of my friends think, there is a lot I don't know... but I do know that. And I love you."

She let out a soft sigh, smiling. "You said something about lunch?" She said as she pulled away, taking his hand. "I'm starting to get hungry."

It was typical that when Riley became so vulnerable, the moment was gone almost as quick as it came. But it didn't change how she felt. Reid felt like he was walking on air, leading her to the elevator once again. It wasn't much, but at least they could have a little time, just the two of them.


	20. For Better or For Worse

After returning from lunch, Reid and Riley joined the everyone in the conference, getting right to work. They explained everything they learned from Sarah Neilson, however little it was. Reid explained how her injuries varied from those of the previous victims. The others had clean, efficient cuts. But Sarah's was sloppy, indicating he had a bit of a problem when it came time to kill her. Why, though, was still a mystery.

Time got away from them. The sun eventually disappeared and evening had set in. Just after 8 o'clock, a lose, unofficial profile had been formed. Disorganized, just like the number of files littering the desk, mixed in with the crumpled balls of paper and empty coffee cups.

"Something's not right." Rossi shook his head, standing up to look over the notes written on the white board. "This evidence doesn't make any sense... it's almost like a second person is killing the inferior victims."

"But there's nothing else to indicate it's a killing team." Hotch added. "It has to be one person. Now, according to Garcia's research, every single couple had a run in with the Grislow. But they weren't all negative."

"The first couple was just considering the hotel for their wedding reception." Garcia said, indicating her notes. She stifled a yawn as she continued. "The Abignales were intending to stay there when their friends lent their apartment out to them, canceling their reservation. The others had a few complaints about service in the restaurant, which is opened to the public."

"So everything goes back to your hotel." Morgan noted, looking to Reid. "That would suggest the unsub works there, or perhaps has a job that's connected to the hotel."

"Like a delivery man?" Eden wondered. "How would an outside job get into the hotel?"

"That could be our two person theory. Perhaps an accomplice drugs the female while the male is away, lets the unsub in and he does the job. We need to look into the entire staff, find anyone related or involved with someone who does a job for the hotel."

All Garcia wanted to do was drift into a bed and sleep. "In the morning, sir?"

Hotch looked to the entire group, "I know we're all tired, but the unsub could strike another couple tonight. We need to figure this out now. Garcia will run the searches on the Grislow staff, Bradbury and I have a conference call with a few of Mr. Neilson's colleagues in Dublin, we're hoping they can give us a clue about him and his wife that matches the other couples. Eden and Paul are working with a few other officers to watch the hotels. If another attack happens, they'll be close enough to maybe catch our killer before he gets away. The rest of you, stay on the profile."

"Hotch, we've been working on this for hours." JJ grumbled. "And Garcia was up all night, we all need a break."

"Yeah, maybe we should start over at first light." Morgan agreed.

Hotch let out a sigh. "I know we're all tired, but we have to get ahead of this guy. We're better than this. He shouldn't be eluding us, we are missing something. And we need to work until we find it." He saw all the tired, frustrated people around him. Forcing them to work until they solved the puzzle wasn't going to get any results. A relenting sigh, he changed his mind. "Okay, just... work for a few more hours. If you're not done by midnight, we can regroup in the morning."

They could handle that, silently agreeing. JJ moved to stand up. "I'll order dinner while we take a 30 minute break. It might help if we step away from this for awhile."

"Good idea," Hotch said, getting out of his chair. He looked across the table, "Reid," he called, interrupting him as he was about to say something to Riley. He looked up, startled. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Giving a nod, Reid followed Hotch out of the room. Everyone else was starting to stand, grateful to at last stretch their legs. Garcia stepped out with JJ, a coffee cup in hand. Bradbury was speaking with Paul as they left, but Eden didn't leave straight away. Her eyes landed on Morgan, unable to ignore his form as his arms reached over his head, loosening his muscles. She casually made her way over to him.

"It's going to be a long night," She mentioned. Emily pretended to rearrange her notes as she listened, just two seats away. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Yeah, we've pulled long nights before." He grinned. Morgan leaned down, lowering his voice a bit, giving their conversation an intimate feel. "I'm kind of expert on long nights."

Eden emitted a playful giggle. "Is that a fact? I hope I get to experience that first hand before you leave."

"I'd say your odds are pretty good." He lightly brushed a finger down her cheek.

She bit her lip in anticipating way, "Brilliant. You have a good night, Agent Morgan."

"You, too, Inspector." He spoke so melodically, watching as she stepped away. Eden took a quick glance at him before she reached the door, stepping out.

By the time she left, Emily wasn't even trying to pretend she wasn't listening. Her eyes were fierce with passion and jealousy. So enrapted, she hadn't realized someone else was focused on her.

"Are you alright?" Riley asked, her hand resting on her arm to get her attention.

Emily practically jumped out of her skin, turning with shock towards Riley. "Yeah..." she finally muttered. "Why, do I look like something's wrong?"

"No, you look like you want to slap the smile off that British chippy's face." Riley smirked as she muttered. Morgan was far enough away by now, he hadn't heard a word. Within a moment, he stepped out the door and the girls were alone. "What's going on with you and Morgan?"

"You know, you and your husband are already so alike." She mumbled. "I'm going to say this only one more time. There is nothing going on between me and Morgan anymore."

"Anymore?" Riley muttered, confused.

"At all." She corrected. "Since our..." she checked around her, just to be certain they were completely alone, "little indiscretion over a year ago, nothing has happened between us. Morgan and I are just friends... if even that."

"Okay," Riley answered, not in the least bit convinced. "You know if you need to talk about it... you can trust me. I kept your secret before, and, if I knew what was going on-"

"Sweetie, nothing is going on." She urged. Her rough exterior seemed to have lifted. Emily let out a sigh. "I have things on my mind right now but... I need to sort them out myself. I'm so grateful for your help, but... I don't think anyone can help me. At least right now."

Riley nodded, patting her arm warmly. "Alright, if you're sure."

Emily gave a smile, trying to reassure Riley as well as herself. "Besides, I think you've got problems of your own to focus on."

"You think I have problems?" Riley sarcastically asked. "Just because I've been married six days and haven't been with my husband since my wedding night, you think I have problems?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, I haven't even asked how you're doing. I know you were worried about this trip. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Uh... not right now." She shrugged. "I'm doing okay... for better or for worse, right?"

"I guess you're right. I'm going to clear my head and get some coffee. Can I get you a cup?"

"Oh, I'd love one, thanks." Riley smiled. Emily gave her arm a friendly, comforting brush and headed to the door.

Meanwhile, Hotch had taken Reid to the lobby. He didn't want to risk Riley overhearing; she was already distressed enough. The reception area was dark, giving them plenty of privacy. Hotch turned to him with concern.

"Reid," He began slowly. "I know you said you don't want to, but... I'm going to make a call and have you and Riley brought to our hotel. I think you should reconsider moving."

"Hotch, no," Reid whined. "I told you, we're fine."

He was amazed the young genius was objecting this. "Our unsub is directly connected to your hotel, one who's been striking vacationing couples. That doesn't disturb you at all."

"It's not a comforting thought, but... I don't think we're in any danger." Reid stated.

"You?" He needed clarified. "Reid, you keep Riley under a very close watch. Anyone who doesn't know you're past may consider it abuse, it's so intense. You won't do anything to hurt her, yet you're intentionally keeping her in harms way. That's not you, what's going on?"

Sighing, Reid ran a hand through his hair. "I can't do that to her... I hate being in that hotel. As soon as I found out there was a murder there, I wanted to take Riley as far away as possible. But I already knew she was scared about this trip... every day I disappoint her more. I can't do it again."

There was a long pause as Hotch considered his words. He wanted to force Reid and Riley to move, but they were staying at the Grislow on their money. He didn't have a say.

"Talk it over with her tomorrow." He said. "You might find out she's interested, she may feel safer."

He nodded. "I will."

Hotch was satisfied, "Alright, I'll call you guys after Leo and I have our conference call. Let us know if you figure anything out."

Reid agreed, and Hotch went off to meet Inspector Bradbury. He did have an uneasy feeling about going back to the Grislow, knowing how each of the victims was connected to it. If a potential victim were in his place, he'd be advising both him and his wife to get out.

But Reid could never seem to learn, he pushed away his intuition. He'd speak it over with Riley tomorrow. He could at least give her one night of a perfect honeymoon.

He hurried back through the halls and the bull pen, making it to the conference room just as Emily was stepping out. She gave him a strained smile, like she were trying to be calm and happy when really she was tormented inside. Over what, he didn't know and was too preoccupied to guess.

Inside, he found Riley alone. He walked around the table. "Hey."

He always sounded so relieved to see her. She really loved that. "Hey," Riley replied, a little sad. "I guess this is yet another night that's ruined."

"You know... midnight is only a few hours away." Reid pointed out as he made it over to her. "Our night doesn't have to be ruined."

"Oh, Sweetheart, don't worry about it. We'll just do it another night." She tried to wave it aside, like the disappointment was nothing.

"No," He cried, sternly. "Tonight. It's going to be tonight. I want to be with you, I'm tired of putting us second. It's not going to be ruined just because we have to put it off for a few hours."

She cocked her head, skeptical. "Are you sure you won't be too tired?"

"I'm sure," He stated, leaning closer. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You go back to the hotel and order room service. Anything you want. Get changed, get everything ready for us. I will be there by midnight, we'll have a late supper and spend the rest of the night together, until we have to be back in the morning.

Riley trusted him with her life, but she wasn't so certain she trusted his word now. She couldn't deny the urge to say no and remain here, helping with the profile. "You're sure we should do this tonight?"

"I will be there!" He said as his hands landed on her hips, bringing her middle against his. She gasped a bit at the sudden contact. "You can count on me, Riley. I will be there."

She had no choice. Riley had to give in, she wanted him too much. With a smile, she nodded, "Okay, I'll see you at midnight."

"I will see you then." He assured. "You can bet your life, I will there."

At that, Reid leaned down and gave her a full, warm kiss. He moaned slightly as her fingers ran up the side of his face and into his hair. There was nothing else he wanted more in the world than to take her back to the hotel and spend the night getting lost in each others arms. But the kiss ended and he met her eyes again. "I'll see you in a few hours." She said, smiling.

She pulled on her coat and gloves, pressing another kiss to her husband's lips. Reid watched her until she was gone. He looked from the empty door way to the messy papers littering the desk. Letting out a despondent sigh, he sat down to keep working, already beginning to doubt his word.

* * *

><p>Once returning to the hotel, Riley wasted no time. She had less than four hours to get everything ready and she wanted it to be perfect. She wanted her husband to walk through the door and have every thought erased from his mind except the woman waiting for him.<p>

Riley had arranged the room, with candles illuminating the bedroom in a gentle glow. She had on a bright red silk teddy, which she planned to tease him with while they ate dinner. Nothing increased the intensity of a romantic encounter than the long awaited anticipation. She'd drawn a bath for them to share after their late supper, spending a few hours in the relaxing water before finally retiring to the bed. They were sure to be exhausted in the morning, but it would be worth it. So worth it.

There were long stick candles on the table in the living room, lit with tiny little flames. It matched the linen cloth that covered the table, all set for a intimate dinner together. Taking her time to get everything ready made her feel like this was it. They were finally going to be together.

At 11:30 there was a knock on the door indicating room service had arrived. Quickly, Riley pulled on a long cotton robe, with the hotel's logo on the front. She fastened the sash tightly and hurried to answer the call.

"Good evening, Mrs. Reid." A young man said as she opened the door. "I have your room service order."

"Thank you, come in," Riley said, stepping aside.

He wheeled the linen covered cart into the suite and parked it next to the table. The young man read over Riley's order, just to make sure it was all here.

"Thank you, that's everything." Riley reached for her purse, pulling out a few pounds. "I hope this is enough of a tip, the money conversion is a little confusing for me."

"This is very generous, Mrs. Reid." He took the money with a smile. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thank you," She said again, leading him to the door. He stepped out without a second glance or word and Riley closed the door, locked inside.

Walking over, Riley took the lids off their meals for a moment, just to see. Looking at the delicious food, lunch seemed like a day ago. But she covered the plates again, wanting the food to be warm once Spencer got here. Instead, she looked to the coffee. It wouldn't hurt to have one cup.

She picked up one of the China cup and poured from the silver teapot. The smell was heavenly, much better than the coffee offered at the Yard. Riley grabbed the cream and searched for the sugar. Expecting cubes, she discovered another small pourable cup with a kind of clear, thick liquid. Riley dipped the tip of her finger in and took a taste. Liquid sugar.

"How clever, just like Starbucks." Riley noted, pouring a generous amount into her coffee. She stirred a moment and lifted it, taking a long, generous drink. She let out a hum of approval. It had been so long since she'd have a good cup of coffee and couldn't resist immediately taking another drink.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, the remaining team members were no closer to spotting their missing link in the profile. It was irritating to sit here, repeating the key notes over and over without being able to match them together. Reid looked down at his watch for the tenth time that hour, spotting it was just after 11:30. If he wanted to get to the hotel on time, he needed to leave now.<p>

"Okay," Morgan grumbled pacing around the room. "Let's start again. The unsub has a grudge against alpha males. Unless he's an alpha himself, he's most likely in his early to mid twenties."

"The inferior victims represent a lost love stolen by an alpha." Rossi said. "He wants to kill her quickly, like he's sparing her pain."

"That doesn't make any sense." Emily interrupted. "Whenever a victim represents a lover, there's always rape involved. And if he can't rape, it's replaced by sexual sadism. But the women are clean, beside the neck wound."

"He's a coward with the women, because there's no chance she can see her killer." Reid spoke, "But he's got no problem letting the man see her."

"Not until after the first strike." Morgan argued. "Once the man is incapacitated, his rage takes over."

"But what about Harris Neilson." JJ spoke up. "The first strike barely hurt him, if he doesn't gain confidence until the man is weaker, why would he have the strength to fight him off?"

Rossi rubbed his tired eyes. "What time is it?"

"11:31," Garcia spoke up, still working feverishly on her laptop. The searches were turning up a lot of results. Without a profile, however, there was no way to narrow it down. "I guess being done by midnight is absolute fantasy."

"We can't just quit, though." Morgan moaned. "We're close on this, we just need to figure out what we're missing. It's right in front of us, I can feel it."

"Morgan's right, we can't stop now." Rossi agreed, "Does anyone have any objections to keep working?"

Reid did, he had a great objection to staying here. If for once he could think about himself, he'd grab his things and wish them the best of luck. But Reid cared too much about his job and his friends to abandon them now. He had no intention of saying a word.

Unbeknowst to Reid, JJ was watching him, waiting for him to protest. She couldn't help but smile a little as she announced. "I think we should keep working, it's important... but, you know what, guys.. I'm not so sure five people can figure this out any faster than four."

Reid looked up at once, stunned. Could he possibly be getting his wish?

The others didn't need a minute to concur. "I agree... if one of us wanted to go back to his hotel, I don't think that would be so bad." Emily looked just as kindly on him as JJ.

He could hardly believe he was getting a reprieve from this endless purgatory. "You guys mean it?"

"Yeah, we should have let you go hours ago." Rossi said, folding his hands over his lap as he admired the young man. "You've been here long enough. Go be with your wife, kid."

In a state of amazement, Reid slowly got to his feet. This seemed almost too good to be true, like at any minute they would say they were joking and make him sit back down.

"Guys..." He muttered, looking at all of them with gratitude. "I... I don't... I don't know how to thank you."

"Just get out of here before we change our minds." Morgan teased, nudging him in the back.

His senses coming back to him, Reid quickly gathered his things. He continued mutterings of thanks to his friends as he grabbed his bag, not even bothering to pull his coat on. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Just make sure it was worth it, Reid." Garcia called after his retreating back. The group glanced at each other, each one happy they could do something for their friends. But their happiness was short lived, and got back to work.

* * *

><p>Feeling dizzy, Riley stumbled a little as she walked into the bathroom. Any minute now, something was going to happen. She'd been preparing for something for hours... but for some reason, it had slipped her mind.<p>

Her senses were off, making the world around her hazy. It was the same sensation after taking a dose of cold medicine, having to work the entire day in a fog. Coming into the bathroom, she looked around for some kind of clue as to what she should be doing.

The lights were still on in here, but a dozen candles covered the sink and behind the toilet. Bubbles reached to the rim of the tub, filling the room with the scents of Honey Suckle and Tasmanian Lavender... it was just like a flower garden in here. Riley breathed in the scent, wondering if this bath was what she was planning for.

What she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and go to sleep, but her body felt extremely jittery. Like a force was trying to control her motionless body. This bath was probably here to help calm her nerves, and she found no reason why she shouldn't be taking advantage of it. If only Spencer were here...

Stripping off her clothes, Riley dropped them to the floor as she tried to think where he husband was at this hour... although, she wasn't exactly certain what the hour was. It felt late, that was all she knew. She could barely keep her eyes open as one slender leg stepped into the warm water. Her legs were trembling as she tried to ease herself into the water.

Barely able to control her body, she slipped on the porcelain. An impact struck the side of her head, and she waited for the sting of pain to hit her. But it never came. She must have been mistaken, not having injured herself at all. Odd.

Riley relaxed in the water, the bubbles and the bath oils warming her body. She wasn't sure how long she could stay here without falling asleep, she was so tired and dizzy... something warm and thick was falling on the side of her head. She wanted to reach a hand up to touch it, to examine it, but she couldn't get her arm to work.

_What's wrong with me_, she thought. _Why can't I move?_The sound of the door opening sounded... someone was here. Someone was in her room.

Riley tried to call out to the arrival, but all she managed was a soft whimper. Her body was betraying her as she slipped further into the bath, sliding under the water line. She begged her body to move, fighting with all the strength she had to stay alive. The soapy water was swirling with red all around her. She tried not to breathe before she could climb out, but it felt like weights were attached to her, dragging her body down... Riley knew she was losing the battle as she closed her eyes, liquid beginning to fill her lungs. The world at last faded away with her, under the red water.


	21. Selfish

Reid was amazed; he made it to the door of his suite just as midnight struck. He unlocked the door with the skeleton key, a difficult task with trembling fingers. He was so excited to find what was waiting for him, the mix of different scents wafted into the hall as he opened the door, the first clue of what waited inside.

Walking in, he spotted the table, set and ready for a lovely dinner for two. Reid reached over and lifted one of the silver trays, looking over the meal. He'd barely eaten a slice of pizza at the Yard, not wanting to spoil his appetite before coming home to his wife. Their dinner was ready, the bedroom looked like a perfect scene in an foreign romance film. It sat complete with both the lights and the covers turned down; an attractive invitation.

He couldn't help the smile that spread over his face, even if he wanted to. "Sweetheart, I'm here." He called. "I told you I'd make it. See, you had no reason to doubt me."

After a few moments, there was no answer. That was odd. The bathroom door stood ajar; she must have heard. He looked around, searching for her, but there was no one else to be found. "Riley?" he cried. "Did you hear me?"

Perhaps she was waiting for him in that long awaited bubble bath. Excited, he quickly removed his shoes and socks and left them by the bed before walking in there, trying not to seem too eager. His beautiful, loving bride waiting naked for him in the bathtub, he could not imagine a better way to come home.

Reid pushed open the door, standing in the frame, over looking the room. He couldn't see Riley anywhere, just the candles and bubbles and abandoned clothes on the floor... Riley was never much of a housekeeper, but she obviously put a lot of effort into tonight, she wouldn't just leave her clothes on the floor. The red lingerie caught his eye. Silky and sparkling in the flickering light, Reid was sure she looked fantastic in it... but why would she put on that nightgown when she got home... only to remove it to get into the tub?

Another shimmer of red caught Reid's eye, trailing on the porcelain of the tub into the water. It looked like paint, sliding into the depths of the soapy water... just below the foam, he spotted something resembling seaweed... something raven and curly, floating to the surface.

The truth hit him like lightening. "Oh God," Reid exclaimed, running to the tub. He reached into the water, his hands searching, almost instantly finding the form beneath the surface. "Riley," He cried, wishing she'd respond and climb out. But she wasn't moving. Quickly mustering his strength, Reid heaved the soaking dead weight out of the tub, struggling to pull her out.

It was true Reid was stronger than most people suspected of him, but before tonight, he never would have believed he was capable of such a feat. The water sloshed out onto the floor as Reid dragged his wife into the dry air, her body covered from the suds.

There was a wound on the side of her head, blending with the water. "Riley," he cried, pulling her into his lap. "Come, on Riley, wake up! You have to wake up!"

She was completely motionless in his embrace. Propping her up with one arm, Reid leaned down to force air into her lungs, trying to compress on her chest. "Come on, Sweetheart, breathe. Breathe..."

He met her lips again, trying to give her failing body the kiss of life. He pressed on her chest again. "Riley, come on! Breathe for me... wake up! Come on..." Another force of air into her chest, continuing to plead with her as he tried to get her heart beating. He was losing hope as she remained limp and still.

"Please," he begged, trying not to get upset. He felt like sobbing, believing hope was slipping away. "Please... Riley, you've got to breathe, please, breathe for me!"

It was without a doubt a real miracle. Finally, the body jerked on its own. Riley sputtered the bubbles and bathwater out of her lungs, spewing it onto his shirt. As she did, she gasped, allowing oxygen to replenish her body.

Reid breathed a sigh of relief, tears in his eyes as he cradled her in his arms. "There you go..." He whispered, pressing kiss at the top of her soaked curls. "That's my girl... that's my girl..."

She didn't wake completely, but nestled against his chest in a half comatose state, unaware she had been seconds from death and he had rescued her.

"It's alright," His hand went to her head to help the bleeding clot. His other searched around for his cell, but it was all the way in the living room in his bag. He couldn't leave her, not until he knew she was safe. But luckily, as was in most fancy hotels, a phone was attached right by the tub.

Still able to keep her in his protective arms, Reid struggled to inch across the floor. He stretched and reached as far as he could, his fingertips at last able to grab the cordless from the wall. He hit a quick number, "Hello, is this the front desk?... I need someone to call 999, my wife's had an accident... I think she's been drugged."

He listened to the other end, feeling his wife's shallow breathing in his arms. Reid could only guess what that narcotic cocktail was doing to her body right now. "Thank you... I need you to call Scotland Yard and ask for Inspector Bradbury... please, ma'am, it's imperative..." He let out a relieved breath as he heard her comply to his request. "Thank you, please tell him who we are and what happened... yes, we'll be here, the door's unlocked."

He didn't even bother to hang up the phone as he set it aside. Reid adjusted the body in his arms, the better to hold her. Just a few inches away, he found the bathrobe now soaking wet from the water spilled on the floor. He draped it over her, trying to keep a bit of his wife's dignity by covering her up.

Riley continued sleeping in his arms, her breathing weak, but steady. Reid held her close to him. He kept his eyes on the door, waiting for the medics to arrive... and to be sure no one but the medics joined them in that room.

* * *

><p>The team was still working tirelessly on their profile, searching for their missing link. It would be easier to ge?<p>

"Even in the process of devolving, the unsub is still covering his tracks pretty well." Rossi explained. "Maybe we can't figure out the profile now."

"I hate to say it, but we know the killer or the accomplice works for the Grislow, maybe we should jump right in to disgruntled employees, maybe one who recently went through a divorce or broken relationship." Emily suggested.

"In this day and age, everyone's breaking up." Morgan announced, looking to Emily. "It's like no one's satisfied with what they have."

Emily looked to him with surprise, believing they'd gotten over this hurdle. But it seemed Morgan was still stinging from this. And as much as she tried to deny it, she was, too. "Guys..." Garcia announced, thinking, "I know I'm not some hotshot profiler like the rest of you, but... what if the unsub's love didn't leave him... in a literal sense."

"What do you mean?" JJ wondered.

"I mean... what if she died?" She voiced. "It would explain why he kills each woman and Lemon's assistant in the first place. Maybe she did in fact leave him for an alpha male, but... she ended up dying soon after because of it."

It was amazed what a moment of clarity could do. "That's... not a bad idea, Garcia. Why didn't we think of that?" Morgan grumbled.

Before an answer could be found, the room rang with the chimes of all their phones. Everyone opened it to find a text message had arrived. Quickly reading, every person in the room instantly became shocked.

It was incredible how quickly life came into perspective. Without a word, they climbed to their feet, all in a rush to get to the hospital. Their unfinished profile the last thing on their minds.

* * *

><p>Reid was still shaking, trying to keep calm as he sat and waited for news. He had ridden with Riley in the ambulance, clutching to her hand the entire time. She didn't wake for a moment, though, and that worried him. He knew the drugs wouldn't kill her, but he had no idea how long she'd been in that water. What if she had brain damage or the lost too much blood from the wound on her head; the hot water had made the flow much more severe. Once they arrived, she was taken away from him and Reid was asked to wait right here until a doctor came with news.<p>

His clothes were still damp and now frozen from the cold night air, but Reid didn't care. His face was in his hands, begging in silence not to have his wife taken away from him. It wasn't supposed to end like this. This was not the way their love story was supposed to go, after years of pain and suffering... only to have it end like this.

He heard the sound of people walking towards him and quickly looked up. But was disappointed to find it was only the team, minus Hotch.

"Reid," JJ exclaimed, taking the empty seat beside him. "What happened?"

"How did you guys find out?" He asked, his face hidden in the darkness of his palms.

"Hotch sent us a text message." Rossi explained. "He told us Riley had been attacked and you both were at the hospital. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," He said as he sat up. "Whoever did this wasn't there. I must have ruined his plan by coming home early."

"What the hell is that smell?" Morgan asked, looking around. A perfume had wafted around them, sickeningly strong.

"It's me." Reid groaned. "Bath oils and bubble bath are soaked into my clothes... when I got to the suite, Riley was..." He couldn't bring himself to voice it.

"What, Reid?" Emily pressed.

"She was drowning in the bathtub... she hit her head and had slipped under the water... I almost didn't even see her because of the bubbles." His frustrated hands went through his hair. "I mean, I guess it makes sense. 45% of all accidents are in the home and 61% of those accidents are in the bathroom."

"Yeah, but most people don't have a heavy dose of sedatives and pain killers in their body." Morgan corrected. "Is she going to be okay?"

There was nothing more irritating than hearing a question that you're desperate to answer. "I don't know, Morgan!" Reid yelled, and with that, his face fell into his hands once again.

He felt comforted as JJ caressed a comforting hand on his back. "It's going to be okay, Spence. Garcia and I will run down to the Gift Shop, we'll try to get you some clothes to change into. At the very least, we'll find something for Riley."

Rossi added next, "I'll call our hotel, we'll get you a room on our floor."

"Morgan and I will stay with you." Emily said kindly.

"You don't have to, I know you're tired." He mumbled, staring at the floor, trying not to think of the horrible outcome that could happen.

"Reid, are you kidding? We're not going anywhere." Morgan exclaimed.

He wouldn't admit it right now, but Reid coudn't describe how grateful he was for his friends. They always stuck by his side, no matter what he did. He glanced up for a moment, meeting Morgan's gaze and then Emily's.

"Can we get you anything?" Emily wondered.

He thought for a moment. "I'm kind of thirsty, but I don't... want to walk away..."

"We'll get you some coffee," She assured. "We'll be back in a minute."

The group began to walk off, each heading to their specific task. Reid remained behind in his mental torment, desperate for some kind of news.

Not long after, Morgan and Emily returned with coffee for three. Heading back down the hall, they were quickly intercepted by Hotch, who had at last arrived.

"Good, you guys are here." He said. It was obvious he was almost as worried about Riley as Reid was. "Have you heard anything?"

"We were getting coffee; last we knew, Reid was still waiting." Emily explained.

His nerves were in no way calmed by that. He looked down the hall, spotting the distraught husband just fifty feet away. "You guys do realize if you hadn't let Reid go when you did... they both would be dead right now."

"The thought did cross our minds." Morgan muttered. "Where's Bradbury?"

"He's meeting the other inspectors at the Grislow to speak with the staff. They're going to save the suite for us to investigate in the morning. I thought you and Reid could go, Morgan."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Emily wondered. "Having Reid investigate his own attack?"

"We've done it before." Hotch pointed out. "Not to mention, if anyone is going to know what's out of place in that crime scene, it'll be him."

Another glance told Hotch just how nervous the young man was. "Where's everyone else?"

"Rossi's calling our hotel, JJ and Garcia went to get them some new clothes for them. They should all be back soon." Emily explained.

"Why don't you try to find the girls, I want to talk to Reid alone for a few minutes." He explained.

The two complied. Morgan handed one of his cups to him for Reid. As they left, Hotch made his solitary way down the corridor, taking the seat JJ had been sitting in not fifteen minutes before.

"Anything?" Hotch wondered, offering him the coffee.

He didn't take it, obviously not as thirsty as he claimed earlier. "Nothing... yet."

Reid rubbed his eyes, as if he were seeing clearly for the first time in days. "I should have listened to you. I was stubborn and stupid, I can't believe I let this happen."

"Reid, blaming yourself is not going to help." He tried to explain.

"But it is my fault!" He exclaimed, turning to him. "If this hadn't been our honeymoon, I wouldn't have thought twice about getting her out of there. I don't know, maybe marriage has messed with my instincts."

"Oh, I'm sure it has." Hotch agreed.

He hadn't anticipated his boss agreeing so fully on that. "Thank you for the support."

"Reid, you don't think the same thing happened to me when I first got married?" He asked. "Granted, you're problems are much more intense than mine... but at first it seemed nearly impossible I could balance a wife and law school at the same time without neglecting one or the other. It took months before I figured out the right budget of time and energy, which resulted in a lot of failed tests and martial disputes. And you've only been married a week."

"At 4:47 pm, it'll be a week." Reid corrected. "And I'm sure you got through the honeymoon before your problems started."

"True," Hotch agreed. "But this can bee seen as a good thing. Once we figure out how Riley was drugged, it will lead us closer to the unsub. Someone knew you were there, we just need to figure out who you had contact with that the others did as well."

"Riley and I didn't make any complaints." Reid pointed out. "We barely spoke to anyone besides the manager."

He shook his head, speaking softly. "Don't think about it right now. I know you're worried about her, you shouldn't need to focus on anything else at the moment."

Reid was curious about something. He had noticed a change in Hotch in the last few months. They had always been on good terms, but it was like he were trying to get closer to him. "Hotch, why have you been so easy on me lately?"

"I'm not being easy on you." He corrected. "I give you the same amount of work and assignments as I always have."

"I don't mean work, I mean... you're usually so serious, even when the team is just hanging out and relaxing. But lately it's been like... I don't know, you can lighten up with me. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice change... but I can't find the reason for it."

"I would think someone as smart as you would understand." He informed. "I've known Riley a long time, and you know how much I care about her. When I met her, she seemed so different from typical seventeen year old girl..." He smiled, remembering, "She had such an amazing spirit and talent... and just talking to her, I knew this girl was capable of great things, things most people can only wish they had the ability to accomplish. But she was sad and damaged; she had no one to look after her. I think that's why I got so close to her, because I knew she needed someone to look after her. But you?" A hint of a smile crossed his face. "You've always had an effect on her, but over the last year, I've really seen it. Since you got engaged, she's trusted you enough to let her guard down a lot, and I think it's only going to get better now that you're married... you make her happy. You look out for her, you protect her, you give her a reason to smile when she gets up in the morning... it's what she's always needed and I couldn't be more grateful that you've given it to her."

Reid rested his elbows on his knees, leaning on his hands. "You shouldn't be grateful... I'm with her because I have to be, I'm miserable without her... it's selfish when you think about it."

His smile was much more evident as he gave a fatherly squeeze to his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you're so selfish. And I know she is, too."

"Excuse me, are you one of you Mr. Reid?" A handsome doctor with long black hair announced as he stepped in.

"Yes," Reid cried as both he and Hotch got to their feet.

"Your wife's going to be fine." He announced at once. Reid relaxed, sighing with a relief. It felt like he'd been holding his breath for an hour. "The most severe of her injuries was the head wound. The rest of her body was completely clean and unharmed. We stitched the wound up, it was fairly deep. I've never seen one like that where the patient didn't lose consciousness. But considering, the amount of pain killers in her system, I'm not surprised."

"Is she awake?" Hotch asked.

"Well, yes, she's awake, but she's not exactly lucid." He explained.

"How do you mean? Is she alright?" Reid begged, beginning to feel panicked.

"She's fine and she's going to be fine. We counteracted the sedative with a dose of adrenaline but the pain killers were too far into her bloodstream to adjust." He stated. "She's a bit intoxicated right now, but it'll pass in about twelve hours."

"Is she going to have to stay here?" Wondered Hotch.

"No, no it's not necessary. Just take her home, let her sleep it off and she'll be better by morning." The doctor assured. "She may have a bit of hangover tomorrow, but other than that, she'll be just fine. In a few days, bring her back and we'll remove the stitches. You can see her now, and I'll be in in about ten minutes with her discharge papers."

Reid was trying to get his heart beat to slow down at the news that Riley was alright. Hotch took the intuitive once again. "Thank you, Doctor. What room is she in?"

"Down the hall, third exam room on your left." He said kindly. With a reaffirming smile, he retreated down the corridor to get back to work. Reid's shaking hands went through his hair, letting the words sink in.

"She's okay, Reid." Hotch assured, "You saved her again."

His happiness was short lived, he looked up, meeting Hotch's gaze. "For now. But that killer is still out there and he wants us as his victims."

"And we're going to stop him. You may not think so, but this is a good thing. Riley can give us a lot of information and you know how to investigate your suite. He's not going to get away." He enlightened.

"But I don't understand why this keeps happening to us." He groaned, his hands clenching into frustrated fists. "Why are we the ones in danger, why are we the ones being hunted?"

He hesitated, not sure how to answer that. "I don't know... but you're not alone. And right now, there is a beautiful woman who needs her husband to take care of her. I suggest that be your main concern tonight."

He had a point. At his request, Reid let himself relax, complying with a silent nod. Taking separate ways, Reid headed down the hall to the exam room while Hotch went in search of the others.


	22. A Moment of Happiness

There was no window on the door, just a sign that said Exam Room 3. Reid gripped the handle and slowly pushed the door open, not wanting to disturb her. He stepped in, immediately spotting her. Riley was lying on the exam table, wearing a wrap around gown that covered her down to her knees. Her eyes were focused on the ceiling, staring above her in astonishment. The dilated pupils with her wild, frizzy hair gave her an almost crazed appearance. Her arms were folded under head as a kind of pillow as she watched nothing in wonder.

She didn't even take notice of Reid walking into the room. Reaching the table, he brushed her forehead, trying to get her attention. When she didn't move, he glanced up to try and see what captured her attention. "What are you looking at?" He asked.

"The lights," She whispered, smiling, indicating the low watt fluorescent bulbs in the center of the room. "They're so pretty... why don't we have lights like that at home?"

"Uh..." He hadn't been expecting that. "That's a good question, I don't know."

At last, she looked to her visitor and gasped, obviously unaware to whom she was speaking to. "Spencer!" She exclaimed, sitting up. "Hi!"

"Hi," He repeated, much softer than she. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel... good." She grinned. Her legs swung over the side, sitting before him. "I mean, I've got this horrible taste in my mouth... it's like soap, but other than that, I feel really good."

"Yeah, you... inhaled a lot of water." He informed. She might have been feeling great, but he was nothing short of horrible. He couldn't even meet her eyes, feeling his mouth go dry as he tried over and over to talk.

Concerned, Riley reached to brush some of his hair off his temple. "What's the matter, Baby?"

His chest was starting to feel tight, like it were trying to strangle his own heart as punishment. He gave up on talking and simply pulled her into his arms, holding her as tight as possible.

"I am so sorry," He mumbled into her shoulder. He didn't want to start crying, but he wasn't sure he could stop it.

Breathing suddenly became easier as she held him in return. "What are you sorry for, Sweetheart?"

"You could have died... if I had been just a few seconds late, you'd be dead." Tears dripped out to fall on her gown. "I could have lost you. You mean everything to me and I could have lost you. I am so sorry I let this happen."

"Spencer," She said, pulling away to meet his eyes. Her hand slid to cup his cheek. "I didn't die... because of you, I didn't die. You saved me. You're always saving me."

"If I hadn't let you go back there, you wouldn't have needed saving in the first-"

"Shh," she grinned, putting a hand to his lips to muffle his speech. "Would you please shut up and just let me make over how wonderful you are?"

Reid couldn't help but smile against the tips of her soft fingers. Her other hand traveled to entwine in his hair again. She pulled him close enough to meet his brow with hers, looking deeply into his eyes. She could read all the unspoken emotions he felt for her in those eyes.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you're okay." He said, his hands sliding around her waist. "I promise I will never put you in that kind of harm again. I know you told me not to make promises, but I will die before I break that one. You mean everything to me... I love you."

"Oh... I love you, too." She proclaimed.

Reid smiled, reaching down to give her a warm kiss. She hummed softly against his lips, her arms wrapping around his neck. Her hand left his hair, moving her arm to wrap around his waist, bringing him closer.

They pulled apart and Riley searched his eyes for a moment. She lowered her voice, as if afraid someone would overhear. "Spencer... can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, Sweetheart." He replied.

Her eyes went upward, looking to the ceiling again. "Can you tell me how many holes are up there? There are so many. Those pretty lights were so distracting and I kept losing count."

Reid glanced up, the typical cheap tiling laid overhead. It was an odd question, but he fulfilled her request. Reid took just a moment to count and multiply the numbers. "45,673, approximately."

Meeting his eyes again, she gaped for a long moment. "Oh my God, you are so smart!" She shook her head. "I had no idea you were so smart, Spencer!"

"I have a feeling you did," He said, trying not to laugh. It shouldn't be funny; she hadn't gotten this way by choice and tomorrow morning, she was going to feel sick and terrible. But she was just so adorably cute, he couldn't help but grin.

"What are you smiling about?" She grumbled playfully.

"Nothing," He shook his head, his hands falling down to her hips. "We're going to get you out of here soon. Rossi got us a room at a different hotel, so we'll head there and I'll put you to bed."

"Funny, I have the exact same plan for you." She giggled, starting to press kisses on his jaw. She moved to his neck, nipping a bit at the sensitive flesh.

She was getting much too frisky, the drugs had completely robbed her of her inhibitions. Riley was affectionate in public, but she would never dream of making out in a place like this, where just anyone could walk in on them. "Riley," He tried to get her attention. "Riley... Sweetheart, you can't do this here." Her grip on him was so tight and he had trouble pulling away, not wanting to hurt her.

As he struggled, he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Reid called, still trying to get her to release her grip on him.

The door opened slowly and Emily poked her head in. "Hey," she said, "Can we come in?"

"Sure, I could use some help." Reid said, at last feeling her ease the hold on him. Emily opened the door, allowing herself and Morgan to enter. Riley was delighted at the sight of her friends, her feet dangling over the edge like a five year old.

"Hi!" Riley cried as she spotted everyone.

"Yeah, you certainly are, aren't you?" Morgan teased. He looked to Reid, "Is she going to be alright?"

"Yes, she's just a little intoxicated, but she'll sober up after some sleep." He informed, brushing aside some of her hair, looking over her face. "Hopefully, she'll be able to tell us some things to help the profile."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Riley grumbled. "Can we leave now please, we're wasting time... Remember?" She smirked, "You want to put me to bed?"

Reid glared at the sound of the stifled laughter around him before replying. "We have to wait for the doctor to come back. And then we're going to get you changed."

"I guess I would look silly if I left in this dress." She said, fingering the gown spread over her lap. "I mean, I'm not even wearing underwear, and in this outfit, it's awfully breezing down there."

"Oh, man," Morgan laughed. "She is really stoned, isn't she?"

"At least she's conscious." Emily noted in an effort to find the silver lining.

Riley, gasped, as if she'd just realized who she was speaking to. "Emily!"

"What?" She asked. It was getting harder to control her laughter. Her sides were beginning to hurt from trying to compress the pressure inside her body. And from the shuddering behind her, Morgan had the same problem.

"Wait until you see my doctor!" She exclaimed. She emitted a sigh, "He is so incredibly sexy. I mean, if I weren't married and there wasn't that whole morale thing about dating patients, I would be all over him without a second thought." She glanced at her exasperated husband, lowering her voice a bit. "Although, considering our past history, I don't typically have a problem with the ladder, do I?"

Riley giggled as she nudged Reid in the ribs, who's face was turning a bright shade of red. "Okay, I think we need a change of subject." Emily informed, a bit embarrassed. "Riley, why don't you lay back and rest so you don't over exert yourself."

"Hey, it's just a suggestion!" Riley announced. "I mean, look at you! You're an outrageously gorgeous woman, you shouldn't be wasting it being alone all this time! I mean, you guys think she's pretty right?"

"Right," Reid agreed, nodding. "She's very pretty."

"She's beautiful," Morgan muttered, his eyes looking as far away from human life as possible. Emily was a little surprised by that. He'd told her she was beautiful and always found new ways to make her feel it, since she'd met him, practically. He often said it in passing or when he wanted her to do something, and there were of course the whispers he uttered in the throes of passion. But she had never heard it like that... like all he wanted was to admit it wasn't true.

Another knock sounded on the door, "Who is it?" Riley called, as if it could be anyone to be concerned about.

Garcia and JJ opened the door, stepping in. "We have returned triumphant!"

"It's just a few things to tie you over for a few days, just in case you can't get anything out of your suite." JJ said, indicating their shopping.

He took a quick glance inside, stunned. "Guys... you didn't have to do all this. This is enough to last us a whole week. As soon as I can get my credit card, I will pay you back."

"Don't worry about it." Garcia exclaimed. "Just think of it as another wedding present. Any excuse to shop, really."

JJ smiled, like Garcia needed an excuse to spoil anyone she cared about. "Hotch and Rossi are waiting out in the hall. Why don't you guys join them while we help her change?"

Reid didn't see why he needed to leave, but agreed, leading Morgan to the door. Emily glanced one more time at his retreating back as he stepped into the corridor, and the door closed them inside.

Without a second thought, Riley pulled the gown over her head. She didn't have a bit of humility at the moment, it seemed. Riley stumbled a bit, barely able to keep her balance with her senses distorted. "You know something girls," She said. "I am fairly certain that I have the most wonderful man in the world as my husband."

"Well, JJ might be up for a debate, but I think that's a pretty safe bet." Garcia said, allowing Riley to lean on her while she started pulling on her underwear.

"Yeah..." she mumbled, "And can you believe I almost pushed him away? That there was a time I didn't want him in my life? I can't believe I was that stupid."

"You were scared, Sweetie, we get that." JJ said, holding a hoodie for her once her jeans were on. It wad definitely a tourist's shirt, having a large scene of Big Ben on the front of it, but it would do. "I was so terrified to let anyone know I was dating Will, I kept it secret for a year. And it was all because I was scared."

"It's just so silly when you think about it, though. I mean... I was terrified I would let myself fall in love and Spencer would just break my heart or we'd wind up just like my parents. Always fighting, hating everything about each other... and you wonder why two people who are so miserable together won't just get divorced ... but now? If one day I discover he doesn't feel the same way anymore, I'll be heartbroken... but I'll be happy knowing we did have happiness once. A person deserves to have happiness with the person he loves... even if it's just for a moment."

Emily was silent as she let Riley's words sink in. The stoned girl's words had some truth to them, it seemed. If all they could have was a moment of happiness, she would take it.

"Girls... I am glad you're all here." Riley muttered as Garcia helped pull her crazy frizz out of the sweatshirt. "I trust you guys and... I've got a confession to make... something I've been keeping in for a long time. If anyone knew about it, it could ruin my life and Spencer's... but I have to tell someone. It's eating me inside."

All three girls looked at each other with shock, unsure what she could have to say that was so serious. "What?" JJ asked, suspecting she may regret that once she knew.

She lowered her voice to a hushed tone. "The first time Spencer and I slept together... he was actually my patient."

Their fear evaporated instantly, unable to stop themselves from laughing. Riley wasn't sure why they found it so funny, but after a moment, she joined right in.

* * *

><p>It was almost three by the time the team got to the hotel. Reid took Riley to check in while the others headed to their rooms, all agreeing to meet in the lobby by ten tomorrow morning. Later than usual, but no one could deny they needed a little rest. Since the unsub had lost his chosen victims, he wasn't going to kill anyone tonight, and he may not go after another couple until he claimed these two. It may have bought them some time.<p>

Emily stood outside her door, pretending to unlock it. As she slowly heard the click, she looked around the hall. JJ was just stepping in. She turned to close the door of her room, catching her eye. Before she could ask if anything was wrong, Emily quickly hurried inside. She had a plan and didn't want anyone becoming wise to it. She knew this was not a good idea, but it was the last thing she cared about right now. Because if all they had was one night of pure bliss, she'd take it just to have him one more time.

The minutes felt like hours as she waited, her hand on the knob. Emily glanced out the peephole, just to check if the hall was clear. JJ's door was closed; no one stood outside. Carefully, she turned the handle and opened the door. Up one way and down the other, she found the corridor clear. Her hands were delicate as she closed the door, as softly as possible, and tiptoed down the hall.

Three doors over, she stopped and knocked quietly, hoping he hadn't just gone straight to bed. Emily waited in nervous silence, hoping Reid and Riley wouldn't appear on that elevator before she could get inside. At last, the door opened, finding Morgan's questioning expression.

"Prentiss," He muttered, "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," She said quickly, looking down the hall again. "Please, can I come in?"

"It's late, Prentiss, we'll talk in the morning." He informed, going to shut the door.

"Please," Emily begged in a hiss. "It's important."

Morgan let out a sigh and moved to let her in. The last thing he wanted to do was sit down and talk with her in the wee hours of the morning, not when he already had enough trouble trying to keep his mind off her long enough to fall asleep. Morgan was finding he had a lot of trouble sleeping without wrapping his arms around her, like a kid needing his teddy bear.

He closed the door, gathering his strength before he turned around. As he locked locked the door, he asked. "Alright, what's this about, Prentiss?"

Taken by surprise, Morgan was shoved against the door just as he turned around. Emily reached up, bringing his head closer to meet her in a kiss, not even bothering to be sweet and gentle. It turned passionate so quickly, it sent a shiver through his body. But he resisted pulling her into his arms.

Their kiss broke and Emily smirked seductively at him. Without a word, she pulled away and fingered the first button on her blouse, quickly started to unfasten each one.

"You just going to stand there?" She asked, her blouse flying off to reveal her violet lace bra. "Or are you going to help me with this task? It goes faster with two people."

"What are you doing?" He demanded, amazed as she slipped her shoes off before going to the button of her pants.

Her watched her chest rise and lower with each heavy breath she took, wanting desperately to pull her onto that bed and not have a coherent thought for the rest of the night. How he found the strength to keep his distance from her was a phenomenon.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked, shoving her pants away. She stood before him in her bra and matching panties, a pair of black knee high nylons on her long, slender legs. "You're a profiler, why don't you use your expert skills and tell me."

He snapped his eyes up to hers, the only part of her he could look at without losing his train of thought. "Wasn't it just a few days ago, you told me you didn't want me anymore?"

"I never said I didn't want you." She corrected. "I said this isn't going to work out. And I'd rather have you as a friend than let this spiral out of control."

"What has happened over the last few days that made you change my mind?" He wondered, folding his arms over her chest. It was getting harder to keep eye contact with her, her longs curves screaming at him to be touched. "Is this about me making plans with Eden?"

"This isn't about changing my mind, this isn't about Inspector Eden, this is about me wanting you tonight. And I know you want me, too. Are you going to stand there and keep pretending you don't?" She'd been craving his touch for days, like an addict needing a fix. She was getting desperate to feel each of his tight, rippling muscles turn to puddy in her hands.

This was an odd change of events. Normally, he was the one insisting they get into bed while the woman pressed to know what this would lead to. Still, though, Emily meant more to him than a casual one night stand... she always had. But he was more afraid of losing her now more than ever. If he demanded what he wanted from her now, he was certain she'd deny him. She'd redress and walk out and he'd lose her forever.

"Are you sure this what you want?" He asked, always gentleman with her. "I don't want you to regret this."

Emily gave him a smile. Talking was the last thing on her mind. "Derek, I'm standing here half naked, completely sober, and hungry for your body. I don't want us to define this messed up arrangement. I want you to shut up and take off your pants!"

He couldn't help but smile at her, reaching for the hem of his shirt to pull it over his head. No one was more direct with him than Emily. "Your wish is my command, Princess." He said, revealing his beautiful torso before him. Emily couldn't stop herself any longer, hurrying forward and running her hands on every inch she could find, meeting his lips again. Her fingers traced a trail down his perfect abs to his belt, expertly removing his buckle.

"What brought this sudden change of heart?" He wondered as their lips separated. He moved down to nibble on her neck, right in the spot that always made her gasp and squeak.

"Just... something Riley said." She uttered, her eyes clamped shut as she struggled to speak. "She and Reid are so happy together... and she said... mmm..." He moved back up to claim her lips again by surprise. He helped her hands push his pants off his hips as their kiss broke, meeting her eyes. "She said it doesn't matter what happens tomorrow... tonight they're happy and she will have that for the rest of her life." Emily wrapped her arms around his neck, reaching up to rest her brow on his. "I want to be happy with you tonight. We'll worry about everything else in the morning."

Morgan grinned again, bringing her soft body against his. Such a strong, capable woman; it was a surprise how fragile she felt in his embrace. "The morning isn't that far away."

"Then let's not waste anymore time talking." She muttered against his lips, teasing him with the slightest bit of pressure. Morgan took the intuitive and brought her into another kiss. They were going to feel very bad in the morning. They were going to regret giving into this instead of having a little willpower. But right now, it didn't matter. Not when they needed each other so much. Right now all they wanted was to hold and love each other and forget there was a cold, cruel world they had to face alone.

* * *

><p>Reid struggled off the elevator, trying to carry the shopping bags while leading his wife at the same time. She was busy nuzzling his neck and giggling, her warms wrapped around his waist as she followed his lead.<p>

"Has anyone ever told you how sexy you, Dr. Reid?" She muttered, swiping her tongue on the spot below his ear. He loved it when she did that, tensing up as he tried to keep a solid head.

"You've mentioned that before." He replied with a small smile, at last reaching their door. He set the bags down, pulling out the key card. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could angle himself to unlock the door while she kept holding and kissing him like this.

"Rye... Riley," He mumbled, struggling see around all the crazy curls. "Sweetheart, I need to... I have to unlock the door."

"I can't help it." She smiled, pressing a kiss on his cheek. "You're just too gorgeous, I can't keep my hands off you."

He hated to tell her she'd be keeping her hands off him for the rest of the night, but she did need her sleep. "True, but we can't get to bed if I can't unlock the door." He pecked a chaste kiss on her lips to soften the blow as he pushed her away. "You just stand here and we'll be in in a minute."

"Okay," He muttered, biting her lip as she watched him. She didn't obey his request for more than a second, feeling her arms go around him from behind. Reid felt her lips on the back of his neck as he struggled to work the key in the slot. It was very distracting. At last, the light turned green as the handle clicked and Reid stepped inside.

"Spencer," Riley called from the doorway. He turned back, looking at her expectantly. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

He set the shopping on the bed, a quizzical expression on his face. She indicated the entrance. "Bride, threshold. Aren't you supposed to carry me?"

He chuckled, at least he could humor her. He set the shopping beside the bed and returned to her scooping her into his protective embrace. Her arms went around his neck as she clung on, unable to silence her giggles.

"You're so cute," She mumbled against his cheek as she pressed little kisses to him. "My big strong hero. What did I do to deserve you?"

For once, Reid didn't have an answer. He clung to her for a moment, still shaken from almost losing her. They walked passed the window, spotting the glowing city laid out before them. Here, they had a beautiful view of Tower Bridge and the Thames River. "It's so beautiful here," She mumbled, staring out the window.

"I know. Now, let's get you ready for bed." He said softly, setting her to her feet.

Her legs were weak as she stumbled a bit, almost falling to the floor. Reid reached out quickly in order to grab her.

"Whew..." She mumbled, shaking her head. "I'm dizzy."

"It's okay," He said assured, keeping her upright. "I'll help you change, you just hang onto me."

Riley obeyed his command as he looked through the bags, searching for pajamas. "I think we should move here."

Pulling out the clothes, he laughed. "You want to move here now?"

"Yes, it would be so wonderful! We would Londoners! We'll quit our jobs and move to England, it will be brilliant! We'll buy a flat and eat fish and chips and call everyone lovie and govener. And our kids! Our kids would have the accents. It would so cute!"

Just as he was about to set the items on the bed, he stopped. Reid looked at her so seriously, wondering if that comment was just from the drugs of if her subconscious had just released something secret. "You never mentioned anything about kids before." He stood up, looking at her so gravely. "We haven't talked about it since... before we got engaged. Not seriously, anyway... Have you changed your mind? Do you want kids?"

"I don't know," she sighed, looking up at the ceiling absentmindedly. "I don't think it's so much I want them... I just don't not want them, either..."

Reid's hope fell away as quickly as it had appeared. There was no hope getting a straight answer out of her now, she was much too disorientated to talk about anything serious right now. But perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring the subject up again, once she was in her right mind.

Letting the subject go, Reid's hands slipped under her sweatshirt. He easily slid it over her head. "You know what this reminds me of?" She asked, clinging to his arms as he undid the button of her jeans. "When we were in Seattle... and I asked you to help me change."

"Yeah..." He agreed, pushing the denim off her hips. "Thanks for letting me keep my eyes open this time."

She put her arms around his neck as she stepped out of her pants. "Did you know," she whispered, leaning into his ear, "that I almost kissed you that night?"

He tensed a bit at that. Reid had always suspected, but he had never been sure. They had never talked about that night again or most of those seven months apart. Besides, it didn't matter. They were together now and it didn't matter how they got here.

"No, I didn't," he replied. He held out the lime green pajama pants for her to step into. "Why didn't you?"

"You know why. I was stupid and scared...I'm scared of everything." She mumbled, looking him over with such adoration as his gentle touch helped her get ready for bed. "Why do you love me, Spencer? I'm such a mess."

"Yes, you are." He grinned, grabbing her tank top. He guided the shirt over her head, her frizzy hair falling down her back as she reached to pull him closer. "But you're my mess."

He put on arm around her, pulling her to him for a gentle kiss. As their lips parted, she gave a very sinister smirk, keeping her body right against his. "Well, now that we're ready, how can I ever thank you for saving me, Dr. Reid?"

"You don't have to thank me." He informed while resting his hands on her hips. "Just knowing you're alright is enough for me."

She rolled her eyes, her grin growing wider. "You're such a gentleman, Spencer, but that is not a proper thank you."

With that, Riley pulled him close and gave him a heavy kiss. Even in her hazy state, she knew just how to drive him crazy, which just made this so much harder. Her hand fell on the hem of his pants, pulling him towards the bed.

"Riley," he said sternly, refusing to be brought on the bed. "Riley, Sweetheart, no. We have to go to bed."

"What's wrong?" She moaned, running her hand through his long hair. "Don't you love me?"

"Of course I love you." He assured. "I wouldn't have saved you if I didn't love you."

"You're always saving me," She sighed. "That's why you deserve a proper reward."

With that, she took him by surprise and flipped him onto his back, lying on the bed. He didn't have a moment to respond before she had joined moved on him, straddling his waist. She looked down at him, giggling before reaching down to meet claim his lips.

Her hands were everywhere. On his chest, in his hair, her lips moving from his down to his neck, right at the spot that paralyzed his body. Reid was tired, he didn't want to fight this and loved the feel of her warm body after all this time. But he couldn't take advantage of her when she was in this state. Fighting with every one of his instincts, Reid struggled to find his voice.

"Riley," He grabbed her as forcefully as possible without hurting her, making her sit upright. "Baby... we can't do this."

"Yes we can. We're here, we're married... I think it's legal in this country." She grinned, trying to kiss him again.

"I know that, Baby, but... you're high right now." He informed. "I know you don't realize it, but your mind is impaired. And I can't take advantage of you when you're like this. It wouldn't be fair."

She rolled her eyes, her breathing labored already. "Spencer, don't you realize? I'm your wife now. You can do whatever you want to me whenever you want."

At last, she managed to break free of his arms and reach down to continue her work on his neck. Her little confession was enough to put him in his right mind. He couldn't give into her now if he tried. Mustering his strength, Reid grabbed Riley and pulled her off him, putting them back on their feet.

"That's enough." He ordered sternly. Riley fixed him with the saddest pair of sparkling brown eyes he'd ever seen.

"What's wrong?" She whimpered, her eyes beginning to water. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," He assured, brushing a hand on her cheek. "I am not mad at you. But you need to lay down. Alright? Lay down on the bed."

Obeying his command, he watched as she crawled across the covers to her side of the bed. If he could just get her to aly down and stay calm, she'd relax enough to fall asleep. He eased himself beside her as she got comfortable on the pillows.

"There you go," He smiled, "put your hands on your stomach. And take some deep breaths."

"You just need some rest. You'll head will feel much clearer in the morning, I promise. You just need some sleep." He explained, speaking softly.

Already, he could see her enegry was fading, so much so, she didn't even want to fight him. "Okay," she agreed. "I do feel a little sleepy."

"You just relax..." He informed. "Everything will be better when you wake up."

Reid looked over her face, admiring how beautiful she was. He couldn't take his eyes off her, unable to think how close he'd come to losing her just three short hours ago.

Her droopy eyes stared at him lovingly. He continued nuzzling the apple of her cheek with his hand. "You know, I don't know where you got that twisted idea about marriage... but you should know just because we're married does not mean I get to do whatever I want to you."

"That's what husbands want, though." She mumbled. "A wife who will do whatever he wants to keep him happy... so there's no fighting, no hitting, no fear. Now I know you'd never hurt me... but I'd hate myself if I made you miserable... I'm terrified you made mistake with me. So whatever I have to do to keep you happy and keep you with me for fifty years... I will do it."

She was far more twisted than he'd ever realized. "Riley..." He whispered, leaning closer to her. "First of all, even if I could do whatever I wanted to you, I would never do anything more than I do now. I could never treat you with anything but love and respect. I would never do anything to hurt you, I'd never take advantage you like that. And just so you know, I'm happy. Being with you is the happiest I've ever been. And every day, I get even happier. And that's because of you. I can't imagine how happy I'll be in fifty years... but I know I will be."

It was her turn to brush her cheek, one lazy hand resting against his face. "I really don't know what I did to deserve you."

He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feel of her touch. "I feel the exact same way."

"Thank you for saving me... I love you."

"I love you, too. And you're very welcome." He repled, reaching over to give her tender kiss. "Now try to get some sleep."

"I will," She muttered, resting against the pillow, her speech becoming even more slurred as exhaustion started to set in. "But you have to remember something, Spencer. It's extremely important."

Concerned, "What?"

She closed her eyes, her reply barely comprehsible. "The angels have the phone box."

Reid laughed, pulling his beautiful Snow White into his arms as she drifted off to sleep. "We've been in London too long."

* * *

><p>AN: Yay! Emily is back TONIGHT! It is going to be so epic. (And yet again, I am going to cry!)


	23. The Next Morning

Reid came out of the bathroom after his shower that morning. He hadn't slept at all that night, too worried to think about anything but the case. He knew they were safe here in this hotel, with his friends surrounding them, but he couldn't help but believe their killer was nearby, just watching their every move. And considering their history, Reid knew he was probably right.

It was after nine and Riley was still sleeping. She, at least, had a restful night. Fastening the last few buttons on his shirt, he moved and stood next to the bed, just watching her breathe in and breathe out, a smooth and steady pace. He had to wake her soon. Reid wanted to let her sleep, but he would not make the same mistake again. He was not going to leave her alone until they caught this killer... and probably for some time after.

He stepped into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Not a second later, however, he heard a sharp gasp and sputtering in the bedroom. In a flash, Reid ran in to find Riley trying to breath and clutching at her throat.

"Riley," He exclaimed, taking a seat next to her on the bed. She was starting to realize her air wasn't constricted, that it was all just anxiety.

"Relax," He soothed, taking her hand. "It's alright, you're safe now."

Reality was quite a shock when one woke up in a completely different place. Riley was still trying to ease her breathing as her eyes traveled around the new room, at last landing on her husband beside her.

"What happened?" She asked, confused and scared.

"You don't remember?" Reid asked. He should have known this would happen. When he would get high, he lost a substantial amount of time, with very little clues to what he had done.

"Of course I remember," She stated, but her determination faded as she considered that sentence. "I think..." She was quiet for a long time. "I..." Riley stammered a few times, getting more and more frightened. At last, she looked up and met her husband's eyes. "Oh my God, why I can't I remember?"

"Riley, I am so sorry." Reid exclaimed, inching a bit closer to her. "I never should have let you go back to the hotel, this is all my fault."

"Your fault? What are you talking about? What happened?" Riley demanded to know, so scared, her voice was shaking. "Where are we..." She moaned at that, closing her eyes a second. "And why does my head hurt so much?"

His throat began to swell and became so tight. He could barely manage to speak, giving a sort of gargled response as he replied, "Last night... the unsub got to you."

At first, she looked like she didn't believe him. When he held his ground, she swallowed her nerves before she let herself get upset. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," He informed. Reid couldn't look at her. He felt so ashamed, he hung his head as he revealed the truth to her. "I uh... I got back to the hotel at... at midnight, just like I promised. The room looked... so beautiful. I couldn't wait to spend the evening with you... Riley, I couldn't find you anywhere. I searched for a moment and finally I realized you must be in the bathroom."

The tub suddenly surfaced in Riley's mind, like the water was filling up around her again. She had been in the bath... why, though? She had drawn that bath for the two of them. And it was for after dinner. Why did she go in there?

"I came in... I didn't see you at first. Just... your clothes on the floor and some blood... on the edge of the bathtub." At that, he looked up to meet her eyes again. They had their usual dazzling diamond dust, and he saw the recognition this time when she looked at him. "It took me a moment to understand... but you had sunk under the water... and I... I-"

"Pulled me out of the water." Riley finished, gaping a bit.

He exhaled, "Yeah." He closed his eyes a moment, shaking his head at the circumstance... the circumstance he let happen. "I got you to the hospital... I came home before the unsub must have expected, because there was no one else there."

He could see the tears forming in her eyes, and her free hand reached up to brush his cheek. "You saved me." She whimpered.

As she started crying, Reid pulled her into his arms. He felt her tears fall onto his shoulder as he cradled her, just like last night. "I am so sorry I let this happen."

"I remember," Her cries muffled by the fabric of his shoulder. "I remember getting into that bath... I remember hitting my head, but I didn't feel any pain... and then I just slipped into the water. I just laid there. I tried... I tried so hard to get out, but I couldn't move."

"I know," He whispered, gently caressing her back. He couldn't stop his own tears, no matter how hard he tried. "I thought I lost you."

They remained like that for a long time, crying quietly in each others arms. It was the longest and closest they'd been together in days. It wasn't fair it took a sadistic killer to make it happen.

Riley's breathing was calm as she pulled away. She reached up to run her hand over his face, as if to make sure he weren't some hallucination. "You weren't hurt?"

"No," Reid assured. "I got back before the unsub expected. I'm fine."

She reached over and pressed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank God," She muttered, her hand going up to run down a tendril of his hair.

Before Reid could say anything, such as begging for forgiveness, she sat back up. Riley wiped the streams from her cheeks. A grateful smile appeared on her face. "What would I do without you?"

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have needed saving in the first place." He said bitterly. She should be angry at him, not thanking him. "I knew we were in danger, I should have gotten us out of there. Not only did I put us in danger, I let you go there alone. If I had been just a few seconds later-"

"Stop," She ordered, just as she had last night. "This is not your fault."

"Yes it is, I knew it wasn't safe there, I knew it from the very beginning."

"I knew it longer than you did!" Riley argued. "Spencer, I knew this trip was a bad idea. For weeks, I had the worse feeling about coming here. If I had said something before the wedding, we wouldn't even be here right now. If this anyone's fault, it's mine!"

"Yeah, but..." He stopped himself. He knew she hated it when he got too protective.

"But what?" She pressed, her fear and sadness turning into anger.

Reid reluctantly revealed, "But I'm supposed to take care of you."

To his surprise, her anger melted as she smiled. "And you did... you've always been knight in shining... whatever."

He couldn't help but smile, remembering when she first called him that. "So you think it's your fault while I'm certain it's my fault."

"We're just going to have to agree to disagree." Riley shrugged, putting her arm over his shoulder. "And you'll just have to let me be eternally grateful to my savior."

Reid wasn't so inclined to make light of the situation yet. He leaned against the side of her head, burying his face in her frizzy hair. "I almost lost you. You have idea how scared I was when I found you."

"I don't know how it happened." Riley admitted, holding him close to her. "One minute I was getting the dinner ready and having some coffee and the next... it's like I'm trying to remember a dream. It's just too vague to pull anything real from it."

"And you don't remember anything else before you blacked out?" Reid asked. He pulled far enough to look in her eyes. She didn't meet his, spending a great many minutes trying to see if she could recall.

"I remember laughing." She finally said. "I laughed a lot."

"You were kind of silly." He revealed, trying not to laugh himself. "When you were at the hospital, they were able to counteract the sedative but... the painkillers... they made you a little intoxicated."

Her smile disappeared as her jaw dropped. "I was high?"

"Just a little tipsy." He corrected, lightly rubbing her shoulder to relax her. "It wasn't a big deal.

A hand went over her eyes in embarrassment and moaned, "Oh God... you've got to be kidding me."

"It's alright," He tried to convince her.

"Oh..." She pulled her hand away, looking to him with even more fear than before. "I can't believe this... I promised myself when I was younger, I'd never do anything like that again."

"You didn't do it!" Reid cried. "Someone drugged you, it wasn't your choice."

Riley sighed, meeting his eyes again, afraid to hear the truth. "Did I do anything really humiliating?"

"Well..." Just like the tears, the smile on his face was unstoppable. "You had no reservations about talking about your underwear, which Morgan and Emily found very amusing."

"Are you serious?" She whined. Despite herself, he could see she had a grin forming in her cringe.

"You also felt the need to reveal our deepest secret to the girls that I was you patient when we first slept together and when I was getting you ready for bed, you were determined to get us to move to London. And that was before you tried to have your way with me."

"Moving to London?" Riley said in disbelief. "That one I don't buy. All I want to do now is go home."

"Me, too." Reid agreed. He'd been thinking of this since she fell asleep last night. He wasn't so sure if she'd agree to it, but it took her to safety, he had to suggest it. "You can, you know... go home I mean."

Riley was confused. "No I can't."

He cleared his throat for a moment, speaking a bit tentatively. "I can call Hotch... He can have the jet ready in an hour. You could fly back and be home by tonight. At least you'll be safe."

She hadn't paused but a minute before she answered. "No."

"Riley, this unsub is targeting us. He's not going to let us go, we know that from previous experience. You could get away."

"But you won't." Riley stated. "Forget it, Spencer. Unsub or not, this is our honeymoon. And I'm not going home unless my husband is with me."

Her determination could not be denied. "Alright... but just to be safe, I don't want you to be alone. If you're not with me, I'll make sure you're with one of the team."

She seemed very relieved by that. Trying to stay cool, she nodded. "If you think that's best."

"I know it's best." He assured, but smiled again. Reid looked over her face. Even after a long sleep, she looked tired. And her eyes were a bit blood shot. He brushed a thumb on her cheek. "Other than that, you were just... silly and cute?"

"Is that all?" She wondered, a bit sarcastic.

Before he answered, he did consider something. She was in her right mind now... and Reid was so desperate to know how she really felt. "You did... mention another little thing."

"Oh, God, what?" She dreaded to know.

But Reid lost his nerve. Bringing the subject up now would be a bad idea. Even if she had changed her mind and was a bit more positive about it... talking about having children right now was the least of their priorities.

"Nothing, it wasn't important." He shook his head. "And I'm the only one who heard it, so... you don't ave to worry. How are you feeling this morning?"

"My head is killing me." She announced, rubbing her temple. "And I'm nauseas and dizzy... ugh, I haven't been hungover in a long time."

"You also have some stitches in her head." He said, lightly brushing the spot on the side to indicate them. "I'll run out and get you some aspirin and something for breakfast. What's good for a hangover? Maybe some just juice and toast?"

"Pancakes." She stated.

Puzzled, "Pancakes? Are you sure?"

With a light laugh, "There are some things you missed out on not having the full college experience. Pancakes are the best hangover food, with a lot of syrup. Trust me, I'm an expert."

He smiled, and reached over to give her a kiss on her cheek. "Okay, if you're sure. I'll go see if Emily's awake. I'll ask her to sit with you while I get your food."

"Thanks," Riley said. As he stood, she reached up and ran a quick hand through his long chestnut hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you."

"I love you, too." Reid leaned down closer, just inches from her face. "Please don't do this to me again. You've scared me enough to last the rest of our lifetime."

"I won't," She promised. Her hand reached to pull him closer and gave him a warm kiss. Sweet and gentle and filled with so much gratitude. Reid stood, matching her smiling eyes with his and got to his feet.

Grabbing his wallet and key card off the bedside table, Reid headed to the door. Turning the handle and pulling it open, he stepped out into the hall. Instantly, he stopped dead in his tracks. From where she sat on the bed, Riley could see him frozen with absolute shock.

* * *

><p>Morgan woke up first that morning. He slept on his back with his arm keeping Emily close to him. She slept like an angel. Her ear was pressed right to his chest, soothed to sleep by the sound of his heartbeat. He knew they had to get up, they needed to meet the team in an hour. Not to mention, there was the growing matter of having to empty his bladder, but he didn't want to disturb her. She looked so peaceful.<p>

And to his delight, she woke on her own. Not long after nine, Emily's eyes fluttered open like wings of a butterfly. She took a moment to remember where she was. Realizing where - and on who - she slept, she sat up and met Morgan's powerful, knee weakening gaze.

"Morning," She said cautiously, as if afraid what his morning reaction would be. She relaxed, however, when he gave her his usual smile.

"Morning, Princess. Sleep well?" He wondered, raising his usual cocky eyebrow.

"Beautifully," She replied, leaning on his chest as she smiled brightly at him. "I always sleep well when I'm with you."

"How do you manage to sleep without me?" He quipped.

His grin faded as he watched her shrink away from him. "I really don't know."

Emily pulled her tired body out of bed. Morgan watched her for a moment, wanting to grab her and pull her back to him.

"Prentiss," He said softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," She informed, grabbing her pants and quickly pulling them on. She just needed to cover up enough to get back to her room... and start to wish this never happened.

"Yes, there is, I know you." He quickly grabbed his pants from yesterday, pulling them on as he mentioned. "You're upset about something."

"I'm only upset because we did this." Unable to look at him as she said this, Morgan knew she wasn't being truthful. "We're on a case, we should be a bit more professional than this. It's not fair to the team, it's not fair to Reid and Riley... it was selfish, we shouldn't have done it."

She buttoned a few spots on her blouse and finally turned to face him. He looked at her with such a questioning stare, she almost admitted everything. But if he knew the truth, she would lose him forever, including everything they'd built over the years.

"You know you can talk to me." Morgan said softly. He was so sincere, it was breathtaking. He was begging her to trust him, to do what he couldn't and let her defenses down. He wanted to beg her to be with him, but he couldn't get the words out. "I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry you think we shouldn't be together... but I'm still your best friend. You can trust me, with anything."

Emily nodded, holding back tears. She could not trust him with this. "I know."

With that, Emily finished grabbing everything she discarded a few hours ago. She didn't have much time to shower and dress before they had to meet the team. Morgan walked her to the door, standing at the threshold. She stood in the carpeted hallway, holding her shoes and her under garments in one hand.

Her eyes landed on his bare chest. She felt much happier and giggled. Her hand brushed over one of the discoloring bite marks. "I guess I got a little rough."

"I seem to remember, Princess, I returned the gesture a few times on you." He teased, his one hand landing on her hip. Before she could pull away, he said "Emily... why can't we just forget the last few days and... go back to the way things were? I thought we were doing okay, can't get get that back?"

Emily would love that, but she couldn't stand having him with her some nights and wonder who he was with on the others, while she was all alone. She did not want to share him, with anyone. If Morgan was going to be with her, he would belong to only her. And Emily didn't believe that could ever be possible.

"I don't know," She shrugged, tormented over this dilemma. "Look, let's not worry about it right now. We'll figure it out when we get back to America. As long as we're in London, nothing's wrong."

Morgan was not pleased with all this uncertainty. But they didn't have time to argue. He was tired of arguing anyway. "That's alright with me."

Emily breathed with relief as her free hand reached up to brush his cheek, the flesh so soft under her hand. Morgan loved the gentle touch of her fingers, almost as much as her lips, which followed suit and reached up to him. Emily gave him a tender kiss, loving both his hands settling on her hips.

Their lips pulled apart and they met each others eyes, staring so deeply, they could see right through to the other's soul. Neither one had ever shared this kind of connection with another human being before. It was so powerful and greatly intimidating.

"Oh my God..." A voice cried a few doors down.

Startled, Emily and Morgan turned to look, absolutely terrified. Reid stood in the hallway, having just come out of his room. He had spotted them immediately and couldn't tear his eyes away. Their secret was out.


	24. Morgan and Emily's Secret

"Oh... my God..." Reid uttered again. His eyes darted from Morgan to Emily and back, over and over, waiting for one of them to explain. He had never been so confused in his life and he just kept waiting for one of them to admit it was some joke.

"Sweetie?" Riley's distant voice called from inside their room. Emily braced herself, knowing another person was about to be brought in on this. Why couldn't she still be knocked out from the drugs?

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" At that, Riley came out of the room in her pajamas and bare feet, her wild hair completely surrounding her. She stood before Reid, observing his expression and trying to understand what had turned him to stone.

At last, she followed his gaze and found the two standing in utter terror. "Hey, guys..." Riley said, confused. She stared at them, trying to figure out what had shocked her husband so.

"Hey, Riley!" Emily exclaimed, her nerves getting into her voice, raising it an octave higher. "Feeling any better?"

Riley didn't answer; she spotted Emily's hand, seeing her clutching both her shoes and violet panties. Realizing at last, her eyes almost bugged out of her head. "Oh my God!"

"Keep your voice down!" Morgan hissed, checking up and down the hall. They all waited expectantly for someone else to join them, but nothing happened. No doors opened; they remained alone.

Reid finally found his voice, speaking in a harsh whisper. "What is going on here?"

"Did you guys sleep together again?" Riley cried before she could think of what she was saying.

"Again!" Reid exclaimed, turning to her with even more shock, if that were possible.

Morgan was a bit less dramatic as he turned to Emily in question. "Again?"

She had never told him it wasn't a complete secret, unsure how to explain it now. It took a moment to regain her composure as she looked between the three. "Reid... Riley... let's go in your room where it's private. It looks like we have some explaining to do."

"Yeah," Morgan muttered, meeting her eyes before he stepped back inside. "I think we all do, Prentiss."

She cringed at that. Emily had never been sure how to tell Morgan someone else knew about that. She and Riley hadn't spoken about it since it happened, there seemed no point in discussing it now.

Emily would have waited for Morgan, but decided against it. She followed Reid and Riley into their room, the door closed behind them. Riley claimed a seat on the bed as Reid stood next to the window, as far away from both of them as possible. He never did well when he was lied to, especially by the people he trusted the most.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door. Emily being the closest answered it, and Morgan slipped in. He was a bit more decent now, wearing a t-shirt. They were safe inside now away from prying ears, yet all that was heard now was silence.

Finally, Riley had the piece of mind to break it. "Did you guys sleep together last night?"

Morgan fixed his gaze on Emily. The explanation responsibility was up to her. Swallowing nervously, Emily replied, "Yes."

The word echoed in the room like they were standing in a wide open cave. Reid was staring at the floor, trying to comprehend this, and Riley kept glancing at him with caution. He may not be willing to ask any questions, but she had too many to keep quiet.

"So... what exactly triggered this?" She questioned.

"That's kind of a long story." Emily replied. She knew how much they were keeping from their friends, but never imagined what it would be like to explain it to them. Foolish, perhaps, but she had believed they would never find out.

"When was the first time?" Reid muttered, looking to his wife.

Riley met his eyes, speaking a bit apologetically, "The night of your funeral."

He glared at her. "And you didn't think to mention that to me?"

"It wasn't relevant. It didn't have anything to do with us, you didn't need to know." She announced. Riley was obviously standing by her decision.

"Oh, you didn't think I needed to know. I'm only the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, why wouldn't you want to keep secrets from me. It makes me wonder, Riley, what else you're not telling me."

"Don't you talk to her like that, Reid." Emily cried, interrupting him. Reid looked up to meet her eyes. "Riley's my friend and she kept my secret, kind of the same way Morgan and I kept your secret when you slept with her the first time."

That quieted him for a moment. Reid knew how much he owed his friends for staying quiet about that. Even now, the threat of their secret could ruin their careers. Still, he couldn't just accept this and move on. "It's not the same." He said in a partial snarl, though he knew the situations were almost parrallel.

"Why now? It's been a year since you two have been together, why suddenly did it have to be tonight?" Riley wondered. Reid may have been upset, but she was intrigued, sitting at attention.

"It... hasn't been a year." Emily shamefully admitted. Saying it out loud made the whole thing seem even worse. "We've been together a few times since then." She looked up at Morgan for support, but he seemed just a twisted over this as she. "The second time was about a week before Reid came out of hiding... the third was right after we caught Nathan Harris."

"When you ran out of Hotch's office?" Reid asked, amazed, looking up again. "That's why you never came back in?"

She nodded, closing her eyes. His anger was making her feel more and more ashamed. Morgan at last spoke up, moving a bit closer to her. "After that, it became a regular thing."

"So you guys have been dating for a year? And you never told us?" Riley wondered, almost sounding delighted.

Her joy faded as the two took a glance at each other, and Emily shook her head. "We're not dating," Morgan corrected. "We spend the night together, we hang out... but we're not a couple."

Reid carefully watched the two, from Emily to Morgan and back again. He knew his friends weren't traditional people with regular plans, but even they knew better than to take a chance like this. "You guys are taking an awfully large risk just to sleep around."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "You can't be pissed about this, kid. It doesn't concern you."

"That's where you're wrong, Morgan!" Reid yelled. "What if Strauss or someone higher were to find out? We'd be split up, it would ruin our team! Did you guys even consider that?"

"We know we're being selfish." Emily said with remorse. "That's why we've been trying so hard to keep this a secret... that's why we've been pretending to hate each other all this time."

"Believe us, that little rouse has not been easy." Morgan added. "You know how hard it is to pretend someone means nothing to you when really, it's the complete opposite."

Had Reid not looked away at that moment, he would have seen the curious look she gave Morgan, wondering if perhaps what he was saying was a reflection of how he really felt. Instead, he turned to his wife, looking into her glowing brown eyes and his anger began to melt away.

"Yeah..." He mumbled. "I know."

"Maybe we don't have as much self control as other people, but we just couldn't stop ourselves." Emily urged. "No matter how we tried to resist, once we did it, we couldn't resist each other."

"But you're just sleeping together?" Riley voiced, trying to piece this together. "You just hook up every night and then go your separate ways in the morning?"

"It's a little more intimate than that!" Emily cried, offended. But at the core of it, she knew Riley was right.

"People do it all the time, everyone in this room has done it..." Morgan landed on Reid and smirked. "Well... almost everyone."

As Reid gave him a deadly glare, Riley wondered "Don't you guys care about each other?"

"Of course we care about each other." Emily said. "Morgan's my best friend and I'm his."

"Well, it's just... if you care so much about each other... why aren't you together?" She asked.

"Because we're not that kind of people." Was Emily's response.

Reid was confused. "What kind of people?"

"You know..." Morgan shrugged. "We're not the kind of people who can be in a real relationship."

Once again, he locked eyes with Riley and at last gave a small smile. "Neither were we." He told them.

"You guys are different." Emily mumbled. "For one thing, we don't want that."

"We don't have to explain anything to you two!" Morgan interrupted. "This is between me and Emily. We don't have to define anything. You guys know, and that's great, that's two less people we have to lie to. All we're asking is that you keep our secret from Hotch and the rest of the team. And if you can't, then we have a problem."

And silence took over once again. The married couple looked to each other a moment, as if telepathically debating the request.

"Yeah, we can." Reid mumbled. "You know we wouldn't get you into trouble."

"Thank you," Emily sighed with relief. "We promise we won't make this a problem for you."

"Okay, guys, we're running late. We need to meet the team by ten." Morgan annoucned, though it was no doubt he was just looking for an excuse to get out of this room.

"I'd better change, I doubt I have time for a shower." Emily said.

"Well, um... Emily, if you wouldn't mind staying with Riley while Morgan and I check out the crime scene. I don't want to leave her alone until we catch this guy." Requested Reid.

"Sure," She agreed. "I'll just change and be back in a fifteen minutes. I'll get her statement and call you guys if we find anything."

"Great," Reid said, giving her a reassuring grin, indicating he wasn't quite so distraught now.

Emily and Morgan hurried from the room, leaving the newlyweds alone.

* * *

><p>Morgan couldn't get away fast enough, whipping out his key card as he reached his room. Emily stood back, watching him tentatively. "That could have been worse."<p>

"I guess." He muttered. His cold response and rigid form meant he didn't want to be around her.

"At least they're not going to tell anyone." She took a few steps towards him.

"Yeah... you could take a lesson from them, Prentiss." The card unlocked the door and Morgan opened it. Without a second glance, he stepped inside.

Shocked, Emily practically ran, throwing herself in the way before he could close the door, stopping it from hitting her just a second before it struck. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You talked to Riley about this." He pointed out. "I thought we agreed we wouldn't tell anyone what was going on."

"I mentioned this to her long before we ever made that deal." She assured. "It was right after our first time, I was confused, I needed to talk to someone."

"So you chose a woman who was grieving her dead boyfriend?" He clarified.

"Hey, you can't get mad at me because I went to a girlfriend for support. It's not like she's apart of the team." She cried as loudly as she could without drawing attention to the adjoining room. At any moment, one of the team could come out and find them. And here was Emily, still holding her underwear. "Why do you even care? You can't stand there and act like I'm violating you when you treat me like nothing."

"You think I treat you like nothing. I've got news for you, Prentiss. That whole romantic night I planned for you, I worked on that for a long time. I was planning that long before I knew you wanted it, that wasn't just some 'James Bond' time."

At last it dawned on her. She gave an angry grin. "Oh, I see how it is. It took me awhile, but I got here. You _wanted_ to make me jealous. So I would tell you I only wanted you to be with me. And that would give you an excuse to break this off. If you wanted this over, why didn't you just say something?"

She didn't get it at all. And Morgan realized she never would. He glared at her, stepping forward. "We don't have to wait until we get back to America. This thing between us, Princess, is finished."

"Thank God." She snapped, moving to step off of the threshold. "When we get home, I'm requesting a transfer."

And with that, she stormed down the hall back to her room. She whipped out her key card and tried to work the lock. She assumed Morgan was watching her for a moment, when the door finally closed. At last, the lock clicked and Emily hurried inside. The door slammed and she was alone. Sad, confused, and alone.

* * *

><p>Just after Emily and Morgan left, Riley got off the bed. She wasn't sure what to say. Her back was to Reid right now, nervous of what repercussions she was about to face. But she could wait no longer. Slowly walked over to him.<p>

"Are you mad at me?" She wondered, timid, as she stood before him.

To her relief, Reid shook his head. "No... I was just... thrown off. I know you would have told me if it had been more serious. I just feel like I've been lied to."

"Believe me, if I knew anything more about this, I would have said something. I just knew about the one time." She assured. "And I had too much going on when it first happened. What with you being dead and then catching Nathan Harris and then after all that, we got engaged. It just... it really slipped my mind for awhile."

As she got closer, Reid put his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "Do you see how quick they were to change the subject?"

"There's more to this than their leading on." Riley replied. "You can tell they're hiding something, and it's more than likely from each other."

He thought for a moment. "If they're going to be together, they may as well be committed. They're probably just scared of putting themselves out there and risking rejection. You and I know how hard taking that chance can be, maybe we can give them a push in the right direction."

"Listen to you," Riley exclaimed, her one hand stroking his shoulder as she smiled. "Who would believe Dr. Spencer Reid would be such an advocate for love?"

He admired her beautiful face. Her eyes were lit up, as they always did when she looked at him. He adored her perfect pink lips and misshapen teeth. God, he loved how she looked when she first woke up in the morning. "Love is more a subject of philosophy. Psychologists try to explain how love changes the effects in the human body, all the chemical and organic reactions that occur in our systems when we feel love, the same effect we get when we eat chocolate and peas. It's a rational explanation and makes complete sense... if you've never been in love."

His hand ran along her face, watching her eyes close for a moment as she savored his touch. "But until you actually find that one person... that person who reverses your whole mood just by smiling at you... who makes you feel like your life is worth something because she's apart of it... you understand it's not something scientific. It can't be explained. I learned that a long time ago and it's completely foolish. But that's the greatest thing about love." His smile brightened for her. "I don't care. I don't care how foolish I am when I'm this happy."

"You're a genius, Spencer. There's so much you can offer the world that no one else can. Your life is more valuable than probably 90% of the world's population and _I_ make your life worth living?" She asked, skeptical.

Reid moved slowly forward and gently captured her lips. They moved in their familiar, wonderful harmony. She sighed blissfully, her hand brushing over his waist lovingly while her other arm brought her as close to him as possible. He loved when she sighed like that, knowing he brought so much sweet pleasure to her from just his kiss.

Their lips parted slowly and Reid met her eyes again. "You have no idea." His hand ran to stroke along her frizzy hair, soft in his hands like cotton balls. "Riley, you know I feel awful about all this. I should have gotten us out of that hotel as soon as we learned about the first murders. Better yet, as soon as I knew how afraid you where. I'm sorry I got us into this, but I promise I will get us out. I want you to go home, but I am so grateful you want to stay with me."

"Hey," her one hand slid down his chest and gripped at his shirt, "I told you this is not your fault. And it's not like I've always made things easy for you. Since the day we met, it seems I keep putting you through Hell... I've broken your heart, I've almost gotten you killed, and yet you're still here. Is it so hard to believe I'm still here, too?"

His hands moved onto her backside, pulling her middle right against him. "I love you."

"And I love you," She beamed. "What would I do if you weren't here watching over me? Speaking of which..." she reached up, teasing him with the slightest kiss. "Did I properly thank you for that?"

"Well, you tried." Reid admitted. "It didn't feel right having sex when you were in that state. You have no idea how hard it was to resist you when I wanted you so much."

"Well, I'm sober now." She smiled alluringly at him. "And there's a bed behind us."

"And I have to meet the team in a few minutes. It's almost ten." He said sadly, shattering her happiness.

Her smile faded, remembering. Riley let out a groan, resting her head on his shoulder a minute. "We just can't catch a break."

"I'm sorry," He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You're sick anyway, and we need to focus on the case. But I promise it will be over soon." Reid placed a kiss on top of her curls. "The evidence we find today should put us on the right track. Just give it one more day. And then we will crawl into bed and use up every last bit of energy we have."

"I like the sound of that." Her grin returned, reaching up to kiss him again, her hand went to stroke his cheek. Just before their lips made contact, she gasped, staring at her left hand.

"What's the matter?" He asked, worried.

"My rings." She exclaimed, looking at her bare finger in panic. "My wedding ring and my engagement ring, they're back in the suite. You have to get them, Spencer."

"Okay, don't worry." He assured. "They won't be considered evidence, I'll get them."

"I put them on my bedside table, where I always set them." She explained. "If anything happened to them-"

"We'll replace them."

"I don't want to replace them, I want them!" She cried. "I want the ones you put on my hand, not some replacement!"

"Riley, calm down." He said softly. Her poor body had been through enough, Reid didn't want her blood pressure to get too high. "I promise you I will get them, and I will put them right back on your finger myself. You just wait here for Emily and I'll see you later at the station."

"Okay," She sighed. "That'll give us a chance to talk anyway. I'll handle her, you handle the other one."

"Got it," He agreed. "Be careful. I love you."

"I love you, too." She said softly, placing one last quick kiss on his cheek. Reid disgruntily pulled from her arms, finally leaving her side. He grabbed his things and went towards the door. Just as he opened it, he stopped.

"What's wrong?" Riley asked, wondering why he froze again.

"Nothing," He shook his head. Reid looked back at her... he just needed to be sure. "You are going to stay until Emily's here, right?"

"Of course," She agreed. "I promise, I won't go anywhere unless someone from the team is by my side."

She was sincere, he knew, but it didn't ease his anxiety. He finally forced himself to leave, closing the door with a soft tap. Reid stood for a moment, staring at the number on the door, wanting to run back in and stay with her. At last he left, trying to convince himself he was just being overprotective. Because Reid couldn't ignore the cold fear in his stomach that despite their optimism... he was never going to see her again.


	25. Learning From Mistakes

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, guys. I still haven't gotten a new laptop and have limited time on my sister's, so writing this took awhile. I didn't want to just settle for something I was only partly happy with, I'm already annoyed the editing's been off. I do apologize for that. Thanks for being patient. A lot of good stuff is coming up, review! :)

* * *

><p>After meeting with the rest of the team, Reid and Morgan headed straight to the crime scene. It was a quiet ride. It was obvious Reid's mind was much too busy to be involved in any lighthearted conversation, although Morgan knew their previous talk would not be forgotten.<p>

Since Reid knew his way to the suite, a police escort was not required. The two were alone inside, riding with nothing but the hum of the gears for company. Morgan wasn't sure if Reid was concentrating on the case or still upset from earlier.

Reid involuntarily yawned, rubbing the tired from his eyes. "Did you get any sleep last night?" Morgan asked.

"No," He muttered fighting to ward off his exhaustion. "I've got too much on my mind... hopefully Hotch is right and this will lead us in the right direction."

"It will. If we don't find it here, Prentiss will get it out of Riley. I'd seriously be surprised if we don't at least know who our unsub is by the end of the day." Morgan stated.

He wanted to feel reassured by that, but he just didn't. He probably wouldn't feel better until this killer was in custody. The door chimed open and Reid gathered what little confidence he had as the two men stepped onto the floor.

The crime team was just about finished as Reid and Morgan arrived. The new manager was keeping watch by the door, barely acknowledging the agents as they stepped in. The two ducked under the crime tape and came in one by one. Morgan took an immediate look around the room, nodding with approval.

"Nice, kid." He called, taking a quick scan of the place. In the next room, he spotted the bed, still made neatly and the partially melted candles all along the room. "I'm sorry you had to give all this up for our cheap hotel."

"Don't be... it's not like we got to enjoy it." Reid explained as he began a sweep around the sitting room. It was fairly clear; they hadn't spent much time in here as it was. He stepped through the double doors into the bedroom, his eyes alert and active as he searched for the obvious clues.

"What do you mean?" Morgan wondered. "You guys must have had a couple of good days before you got caught up in this, right?"

"If you must know," Reid muttered as carefully pushed open the bathroom door, "And I know you must, Riley and I haven't really been together since our wedding night."

He took a quick look around the bathroom without stepping in. Water was still flooded on the floor, ruining the robe and the nightgown left behind. The water sat in the tub with the bubbles fizzled away, cold for certain. The streak of blood had dried on the porcelain. There was no hope of getting any evidence in here.

"Really?" Morgan asked. Reid wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he swore there was pity in his voice.

"Really." He answered, looking at him as if to prove his point. "I know you find this whole circumstance very humorous, but I'd appreciate if you'd refrain-"

"Oh, come on, kid. I'm not going to make fun of you." He interrupted, waving it off. "I know I teased you before but, honestly I feel bad. You guys have been through enough, you don't deserve to have your honeymoon ruined... especially by some deranged killer."

"Thanks," He mumbled. He walked over to the bed, beginning to search on the bedside table. Reid's fingertips danced over the wood, trying to find what his eyes couldn't see... but they found nothing. "I wish I could figure out how we encountered this guy, it might give us a clue."

"Okay, well, let's think about that." Morgan said, taking the intuitive to check on Reid's side of the bed for evidence. "Did you guys talk to anybody strange or suspicious since you got here?"

Reid's first thought was back on the plane. The grumpy man who glared at him every time Reid kicked his chair. But that was immediately dismissed. The McClarens had to have been murdered while they were on the plane, Reid and Riley themselves were his alibi.

"There was the girl at reception... then Marcy Lemon... the bell boy who brought up our bags... he's a possibility. He saw me carry Riley over the threshold, he would have known right then we were newlyweds."

"Then why didn't he strike you guys the first night?" Morgan's voice was muffled as he was looking under the bed. He came back into view and tossed a red sock onto the bed spread. "You left that under there."

Reid ignored it, dropping to his knees to check under the bed. His search was a lot more important than a red sock. "Well, after that was Lemon's assistant, who's dead now... then Inspector Bradbury... after that we spent most of the time at the station..."

At that, he sat back on his knees, confused. Morgan stood back and watched him as he frantically kept searching. "What are you looking for, Reid?"

"Riley's rings," He cried, his fingers feeling along the soft carpet under the table. "She left them on this table last night and now there nowhere to be found!"

"Maybe she left them on the sink or on the dresser over there." Morgan suggested.

"No, she always sets them here." He pointed to the table top as he got back to his feet. "Ever since I proposed, she's always put her engagement ring right on her bedside table... so she can put it back on as soon as she wakes up." Shaking his head, he checked around the table again. They had to be here.

"Reid," Morgan called, trying to get him to relax. "They're not there. The unsub must have taken them."

That could not be true. No, he promised her. He swore he'd get them and put them back on her hand. This was the one promise he had to keep. "Why..." He mumbled. "There's no evidence the unsub takes trophies... why would he take her rings?"

"You guys got away." Morgan stated. "He probably came back after you guys left... maybe he took the rings... as a reminder."

At that, he had a fleeting thought to call his wife, just to hear her voice and make sure she was safe. But he didn't. Riley hated it when he was overprotective. He turned, getting back to searching the suite. The sooner they finished here, they sooner he'd see her at the station.

Moving to the other side of the bedroom, Reid started to rifle through their luggage for any other missing items. Morgan's destination was the windows, checking the locks and trying to see if anyone outside could have been watching them.

"At least you're safe with us." Morgan pointed out, testing the structural integrity of the lock. "It's going to be okay, just try not to think about it too much."

"That's good advice." Reid replied. "I just need to take my mind off of it... maybe it would help if I thought about you and Emily instead."

With a groan, Morgan looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "I thought we covered this already."

"Think again." Reid corrected. "In what way do you and Emily think what you're doing is a good idea?"

"We never said we did." He corrected. It seemed investigating the crime scene had slipped both their minds. "You know you can't judge me kid, after the things you've done."

Reid met his eye, deciding to level with him. "What I did with Riley back then was wrong. I admit that and accept that, and it could have ruined my career and broken up the team... but the circumstance was different."

"How was it different, Reid?" He yelled, loud enough to be heard by anyone in the next room, were they not alone. "They only difference is Riley didn't work on the team."

Reid was amazed. Morgan wasn't stupid enough to miss something so obvious. "Because... I was in love with her. I wouldn't admit it in the beginning, but I know as well as you did then... I loved her."

Tensing up, Morgan's eyes darted away. "Yeah... you're right."

He turned away just a split second before Reid's jaw dropped. If he were trying to hide it, Morgan was very poor at it. "Oh my God..."

Morgan would give anything to end this conversation right now. It was his turn to check the bathroom, wondering if ruining his shoes on the wet floor was worth getting away from this discussion.

"You're falling for her." Reid announced.

He had to admit, when Garcia had theorized it a few days ago, he was skeptical. Now, seeing it with his own eyes, it was crystal clear. "So... you guys have been together... for over a year?"

"We're not together!" Morgan argued. "For some reason you're having trouble getting your enormous brain around this so listen to me while I explain. Emily and I spend the night together, but that's where our obligation ends. We're not committed, we're not tied down, we're free to do whatever we want. That is the extent of our... relationship."

His attention remained in the bathroom. His shoulders were hunched and Reid had a fear if he kept going, Morgan was going to slug him. But he couldn't let this go. "It doesn't seem like that's the extent of it. Look, Morgan, I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'm not going to warn you or anything, but... it's just things like this don't usually turn out well... and someone usually gets hurt. I don't want that to happen."

Finally, Morgan turned around. It was his turn to be shocked. "You can go to Hell, Reid. If you even think that I would do anything to hurt Emily, you don't know me in the least. I would never cause her pain if I can help it. How dare you think otherwise!"

Reid pursed his lips slightly as he hesitated, unsure how to say this. "I wasn't talking about Emily."

Morgan's anger dissolved and he was somewhat confused. "Reid..." He spoke slowly, "you're worried... she's going to break... my heart?"

With a shrug, "Come on, Morgan, I've been down this road before. I don't regret anything that happened. I'd go through it again in a heartbeat... but I went through hell because I was in love with a girl... if you feel this strongly for her and you keep this up... you'll get hurt. I don't want to see you in that pain."

"Well, you're timing couldn't be worse." He announced. Letting out a sigh, he shook his head. "Emily and I had a fight after we left your room this morning... and we're done." He left out Emily's threat to transfer out of the BAU. One crisis at a time.

"Just like that?" Reid wondered. "How can you let her get away?"

"I'm getting advice from you on that subject?" He said with a cock of his eyebrow, amused.

"No, but I figured you would learn from my mistake." He corrected. "Does she even know how you feel?"

He was done with this. "It wouldn't matter, she doesn't want me. If she did... I would know."

With that, he hurried into the sitting room again. Reid quickly followed, not so easily shaken. "Not necessarily. Emily is not the typical floozy you take home after drinking. She's a special kind of girl, the kind that doesn't come along every day. Emily doesn't have a tendency to put what she wants first... she deserves a different approach."

"You need to drop this, Reid." He snapped. If he didn't shut up soon, he was going to end up hitting him. And not just because he didn't want to admit he was right.

"Just explain to me why you can't just be straight with her?"

"I don't recall your intelligence including the aspects of romance and relationships!" Morgan cried, whipping around. "Being married a week does not make you an expert."

"See, that's your problem! You need to stop deflecting. You've always treated me like I'm some kid, well guess what? The tables have turned. I've got more experience in this area than you do, so listen to me. If you love her, if you want her to be with you - only you - then be a man and just say so! Sit her down, talk to her and tell her how you feel."

Morgan knew he was right. Accepting defeat he let out a loud sigh. "And if she says she doesn't want me?"

"Then you do what you have to do to move on." Reid answered. "She may not feel the same way... but then again, she might surprise you."

It wasn't like he could ruin this any further. But annoyed with Reid, he rolled his eyes and turned away again, getting back to work.

"Just think about." Reid added, feeling like he had failed. He could feel their team breaking up already.

The sitting room seemed like a waste of time, being so neat and untouched. The men skimmed over it anyway. "So you really have no idea who this unsub could be?"

"No one who fits what we've already determined of the profile." Reid replied. He rubbed one of his eyes as he walked, still trying to ward off this growing fatigue. He stood before the little table with their forgotten dinner. He spotted the teacup sitting on the linen. The little bit of coffee sitting in it was most certainly cold.

After a loud yawn, Reid grumbed. "I wish I could have had some coffee this morning."

Morgan gave a chuckle, "Me, too. We'll stop and get some when we're done."

"With a lot of sugar." Reid added, going to take one last look in the bedroom.

He stopped in his tracks as an epiphany suddenly struck him. Backtracking, he returned to the table, looking over the contents for coffee. There was creamer containing milk and bowl holding a small amount of liquid sugar.. Thinking back, the evidence now was obvious; the shattered teacup at the Waterfall... there was an empty cup at the assistant's desk in Lemon's office... it was so obvious, why hadn't he thought of it before?

"Oh my God." Reid muttered, looking into the puddle of syrup, drying up quickly.

"What is it, Reid?" Morgan wondered.

Without another word, Reid hurried to the hall. He found Lemon's replacement, standing in his solitude. "Who delievered room service to this room last night?"

"I don't know," Was all he replied. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with, especially the first week on the job.

His patience was not to be tested at the moment. "I need you to find out. Because whoever brought up that order is responsible for poisoning my wife and he needs to be brought in for questioning."

The manager became very solemn. This was a very serious matter and being difficult would only make this worse. "I'll find the information for you, straight away."

"Thank you. Two inspectors from Scotland Yard will be here shortly to escort them." Reid assured.

"Very well, sir." And with that, hurried to the elevator. Reid watched until he was gone, Morgan joining him in the hall. He'd heard the whole thing.

"You really think the waiter is our unsub?" Morgan wondered, skeptical.

"I don't know, that would be a bit too easy." Reid replied. "But I know how the poison got into the victims. He mixes it with sugar water, just like I suspected. The victim has tea or, in Riley's case, coffee, mixes in the sugar concoction and is none the wiser until they're intoxicated."

"You wouldn't even have to know the victim uses sugar." He added. "Assuming someone adds a sweetner to their drink is a smart bet. It's offered automatically with room service, the unsub would just have to switch the real sugar with the cocktail when the tray's unattending. It's got to go through at least five different people before it's ready to be brought up."

Reid nodded, looking back into the suite. His arms folded over his chest. It explained a lot, and it gave them a good lead to follow. They were still missing something, though, and had no idea what. Irritated and edgy, Reid pushed past Morgan into the room once again, desperate to find another clue.

* * *

><p>Emily and Riley stopped at a corner store on the way to breakfast that morning. It was the most productive of decisions, but after a stressful week and a brush with death the night before, Riley felt she needed something to calm her nerves. She flicked the lighter and quickly lit a cigarette, taking a long drag.<p>

Exhaling with relief, the white smoke drifted into the chilly, London air. Meeting Emily's eyes, she said regretfully, "Please don't tell Spencer."

"Don't worry about it." Emily shrugged. Riley offered her the pack, but she waved it off. "No, thanks, I quit a long time ago."

She shoved the pack into her bag. "I keep promising Spencer I'll quit. And believe me, I've been trying... it's just, every now and again... especially when I'm nervous or he's out of town... the only thing that relaxes me is one of these."

The girls started to head down the sidewalk, walking at a leisurely pace. "I understand. I'm so sorry you're having such a tough time. I knew you were worried about this trip... I just hoped all the worry was unprecedented."

"No more so than me... where are we heading, anyway?" Riley asked, looking around as they reached the corner.

"Oh, there's this really great diner nearby that I love to stop at when I'm in London." Emily explained. The street clear, the girls began to cross over. "I know England is not known for it's food, but you'll love this place. I'm sure you're starving after last night."

Riley flicked some of her ash onto the street. "Yeah, and I bet I'm not the only one."

She met Emily's disturbed expression with a sweet simper. She felt so guilty, putting her own desires ahead of her friend's problems last night.

"We didn't plan that, you know." Emily shook her head. "We don't normally engage in that while on a case, it's just... we've been having a tough time-"

"Em, it's okay," Riley chuckled. "It's nice someone's having sex on my honeymoon."

Unable to help it, Emily smiled. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. We promised we'd keep it a secret and I know you don't work on the team, but... it was just easier this way."

"I'm glad you didn't tell me. The first time is one thing, but I couldn't know that secret and not tell Spencer. You saw how angry he was before, he'd furious with me right now. Attack or not."

"I have to admit, though, it's nice to finally admit the truth to someone." She sighed, like a huge weight had been removed from her body. "You have no idea how hard it is to keep up this facade."

"I can't believe you guys did this for a whole year." Riley mentioned. "So you were never fighting, it was entire act?"

"At first, we were fighting." She explained. "But after the Nathan Harris case... we came to this understanding. In front of people we knew, we pretended to hate each other... behind closed doors, we gave into our attraction."

"No offense, but that's kind of a cold way of putting it." She noted.

"Honestly, that's all our relationship is... or lack thereof, should I say." Emily clarified. "We came to an understanding... we're basically just friends with benefits. We can date and be with whoever we want, we keep the emotion out of it and we continue with this until the flame burns out."

But her words didn't match her expression. The way her eyes darted away, the sad way she hung her head as she spoke. The woman was tormented by her emotions.

"So, I'm right in assuming you haven't told him you want more?" Riley asked, exhaling more smoke into the air above her.

Shocked, Emily looked at her. "What makes you think that?"

"Come on, Em, I recognize that attitude. That's me, two years ago when I was in Seattle." Riley said.

She hadn't realized that. Emily couldn't forget seeing Riley and Reid together, struggling with trying to accept how they felt. She and the others had attempted to push the two in the right direction. "I'm not going to lie... taking away the player side of him, Morgan is such a fantastic guy. He's so sweet... he planed the most romantic evening with all my favorite things... he got up early, just to surprise me when I was inspecting your place... and sometimes... I catch him looking at me... and I never feel more beautiful."

"Whoa wait," Riley cried, grabbing her arm to stop them both. "You checked on the apartment... with Morgan?"

"Yes," Emily answered, apprehensive.

She really hoped she was just out on a limb, but her instincts told her otherwise. "You two were alone in our apartment... and you're... friends with benefits?"

"Um... yeah," She tried to sound casual, but it came out as a nervous squeak.

She hesitated a bit. "Please... just to put my warped mind at ease... assure me you didn't have sex in my bed, Emily."

Emily gasped and immediately assured, "I changed the sheets before we left."

"Oh, my God, Emily!" Riley cried, loud enough to gain the attention of a group of uniformed kids walking to school.

"I'm sorry, we didn't plan that, either." Emily cried.

"I can't believe you..." She noticed the teens and lowered her voice, "you had sex in my bed!"

"It was Morgan's idea." Emily said, smiling guiltily.

Riley couldn't help but match it, "It better have been damn good, that's all I have to say."

"Well, if you makes you feel any better... last night was our last time." Emily turned, facing down the street again. They stood at another corner, waiting to cross.

Concerned, "What do you mean? What happened?"

Reluctantly, Emily explained the fight she and Morgan had after leaving the Reids' room that morning. It felt like a bad dream... if only she could just go back to those last few moments.

"Morgan was very definitive in his statement. I'd say there's no use to argue." She finished.

"And that's it?" Riley asked. "You're not going to fight for him? Go after him? Admit you were wrong?"

"I wasn't wrong!" Emily yelled. "I'm tired of this... I'm tired of him and needing to chase everything in a skirt. This is over and I couldn't be happier about it."

"Right," Riley added, at last tossing her butt on the ground. She stamped it with her foot for good measure. "And I've never done anything immoral with my patients."

"When we get back to America, I'm requesting to transfer out of the BAU."

It was Riley's turn to be stunned. She looked to Emily with worry, as if afraid she was falling ill from a mental disease.

"What?" Emily snapped. Anything to get that pathetic look off her face.

"How can you just let each other go?" She asked.

With a roll of her eyes, "I'm really getting advice from you?"

"Let's take my past history out of this equation. As a therapist, let me just say this..." She paused, clearing her throat. This needed to come out as clear as possible. "You can't just let each other go, not when you care so much about each other. You can use the excuse about your job or your age or your reputation, but the truth is you're scared. Emily, you're too afraid to admit the truth."

"Why wouldn't I admit it? Explain that to me, Dr. Parker." She was starting to get angry and wasn't sure what would come out of her mouth if she became anymore upset.

"You afraid of being rejected." Riley explained. "Emily, you and I are so similar. I think that's why we've become such good friends over the last couple of years. So you know I understand. You've been rejected by everyone else in your life. Your parents, your family, your friends. You've never been in a position to feel unconditional love. And to wind up in a job that makes solid relationships and friendships next to impossible just makes the situation worse for you. After all this time..." She paused, a gentle hand running down her arm. "Your mind has twisted enough to make you believe that you don't need it... because no one will ever feel otherwise about you."

She suddenly lost the ability to speak. The girls had stopped in their tracks again and Emily was looking to the pavement at her feet. Riley lowered her voice, stepping closer. She spoke only loud enough for the two to feel.

"Talk to him." She ordered. "These games and tactics we would use worked when we were twenty... but we're adults now. It's better just to be direct. You know what you want, so just tell him."

"I can't tell him," Emily whispered.

"Yes, you can. You have to." Riley continued. "I lost so much time with Spencer because I was too scared to take a chance on him. I had to wait until what I thought was the last few moments of my life to tell him how I felt. Learn from my mistake, Emily. Don't lose him just because you're too afraid.

She really couldn't see that happening. This was going to be a disaster... but she didn't ask Morgan... she would wonder for the rest of her life if... just maybe...

"Take my advice, put off telling anyone about transferring for now." She said. "Just talk to him, tell him how you feel. You have to take a chance on something sometimes, especially something that might change your whole life for the better. Maybe he doesn't want anything more serious, but... if he cares about you as much as I suspect... he may want to take that chance, too."

Emily had never been filled with more doubt in her life. Her insecurity and fear made her feel like some child terrified of the dark. But she hid her insecurities and nodded. "Okay... let's get through this case and... I promise, I will talk to him."

"That's all I ask." Riley smiled, patting her arm.

* * *

><p>Craig Ellers sat in the interrogation room, alone, still wearing his uniform from last night. He was trying to keep calm, but his trembling body told otherwise. His gave the impression of a doe in the headlights. Through the two-way mirror, Reid stared at him sternly while Hotch and Bradbury cautiously watched Reid.<p>

"He's not the unsub, Reid." Hotch stated plainly.

Reid nodded without arguement. "Oh, I know... but that doesn't mean he doesn't know who it is. He could just be an accomplice."

"I don't understand," Bradbury said, glancing into the room at the terrified young man. "How can you be sure until you speak with him."

"A person's body language tells a lot about how a person is feeling." Hotch explained. "Ellers' describes a person who's ansty, unsure what he's about to encounter. Which could either mean he's involved and is afraid he's going to take blame for everything or he's totally innocent."

"Yeah, well, we'll see." Reid added. Files under his arm, he went to the door.

"Reid," Hotch called, grabbing his attention. With fierce, foreboding gaze, he looked to Hotch. "You cannot be intimidating in there. Saying the wrong thing could snowball this into an international incident. I know you're worried, but you need to be civil. Understood?"

He did. Reid knew of several occurances that spiraled out of control because of miscommunications in a foreign country. Taking a moment to calm his breathing, he stepped into the interrgation room. Hotch and Bradbury were right behind him.

Ellers sat up as the men joined him. He watched the carefully, eyeing the files, suddenly desperate to know what was in them. "Mr. Ellers," Bradbury spoke first. "My name is Inspector Leonard Bradbury, I work in the homocide division of Scotland Yard. Thank you for coming in today."

"I didn't really have much of a choice." He replied with a shrug. He watched the other two men; Hotch's intimidating glare sent a shudder down his spine.

"Allow me to introduce Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner and Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid, they're with the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Confused, "I've never heard of that."

"We're from America, we're assisting Scotland Yard in a murder investigation." Hotch explained. Though he was stern, he spoke politely to the young man. "May we have a seat?"

He nodded, his curiousity making him even more afraid. Reid and Hotch sat down with Bradbury, staring down the young man.

Reid took charge of the investigation. He opened the top folder, folding his hands over it. "Mr. Ellers... you delivered an order of room service to Suite 18 last night, before midnight, correct?"

"I..." he thought for a moment. Just by the direction his eyes darted, it was obvious he was simply trying to remember. "I think so... I delivered to a few suites last night, on all the luxury floors."

"The woman in that room was an American." Hotch said.

"Oh..." He smiled, remembering. "Yes, she's very nice. She gave me a lovely tip... why? Did something happen to her?"

There was a long silence. Reid couldn't tell if he was geniunely concerned or if he were tryng to rub it in. Instead, Hotch answered, "Something you brought up last night was laced with poison."

"Oh my God," He exclaimed, frightened.

His next statement was a surprise, to all three of them. "Is she alright?"

"Why is she your concern?" Reid asked coldly. "You're not at all shocked there was almost another murder in the hotel last night?"

"I just... I checked over the tray before I brought it up. I'm the last one to inspect it before it's delivered." He explained. "I can't understand how poison got into the food. What exactly was infected?"

"The liquid sugar." Bradbury explained. "It seems the poison was mixed in so it would would be drank in tea or coffee by the victims."

"Liquid..." He shook his head. "No, that doesn't make sense... we don't use liquid sugar."

"What?" Reid wondered.

"We use sugar cubes." Ellers informed.

Now they were getting somewhere. Reid looked to Hotch, knowing they were thinking the same thing. "Did you put the coffee on the tray?"

"No, one of the kitchen staff puts the tea and supplies on the tray. it's almost never touched by the cooks or the bell boys."

"Do you know who was on staff last night?" Bradbury voiced.

"We've been short staffed over the last few days, so no." He replied. "Lemon sacked a lot of people after getting some complaints about the staff and when the murders started happening, even more quit. It was very mysterious, quite honestly. The remaining staff had to double up. I can't say for sure who was helping in the kitchen that night."

"It could have been anyone, then." Hotch noted.

"Did you see anyone else go in or out of that suite last night?" Reid wondered.

"Yes, actually." He cried, as if delighted he had some evidence that pointed the blame off him.

Reid's breath caught in his chest as Bradbury asked. "Who?"

"It was about midnight... I was delivering towels to a room down the hall... a man was going into the room, but I think he had a key."

Rolling his eyes, Reid let out a sigh. "That was me."

"Oh..." Ellers replied. "I uh..."

"She's my wife, which is why I'm so concerned about this." Reid leaned across the table, his voice lowering to a deadly tone. "I need you to think, was there anything unusual about last night. Someone you were working with or spoke to?"

Taking deep breath, he considered it. "Well... to be honest, I'm usually not supposed to deliver towels."

"How is that out of the ordinary?" Hotch wondered.

"I'm a bell boy, bringing up toiletries is supposed to be a maid's job." Explained Ellers. "But, like I said, we're short staffed. The maid who was working couldn't be found. She has a tendency to wander off, though."

It wasn't much to go on, but Hotch wondered something. "Do you have any idea if she disappeared before the two other attacks happened?"

"To be honest, I don't know." Ellers said. "I can't remember. I don't even know if she was working those nights."

They realized they had reached another dead end. Without the right idea of what to ask, they knew they weren't going to get any more information out of this man, not without a complete profile. "If you don't mind, we'd like you to remain here for a time, just until we clear a few things up. We might have some more questions for you." Bradbury said.

Ellers didn't object, though he did seem a bit bothered at having to remain here. As the three men stood to leave, he called out to Reid.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your wife, sir."

Looking back at him, his attitude had softened. "Thank you... if you think of anything else that may be out of the ordinary... please don't hesitate. We need to know."

And with that, the two mean slipped out of the room.

Once the door closed, Hotch folded his arms, lowering his voice to evade eavesdroppers. "He had nothing to do with this. Our only clue is whoever put the sugar onto the tray."

"That could have been anyone. It could have been an outsider pretending to work there. If the kitchen was hectic, he could have been in there without alerting anyone."

"Good point," Bradbury said. "When it gets busy here, I can't pinpoint one inspector for another. I imagine a hotel kitchen is the same way."

"But at 11:30 at night?" Hotch wondered.

At that, Reid checked his watch again. It only made him more agitated. "What is, Reid?" He asked.

"Nothing... I'm just wondering where Riley and Emily are." He said. "I asked JJ to let me know when they got here. I have no idea what's keeping them."

"Well, Prentiss knows the city pretty well. Maybe she just took her out to enjoy it a little bit." Hotch said, trying to ease his nerves.

He let out a groan and allowed his free hand to run through his hair. "Yeah, maybe... I need a break. I'll meet you in the conference room in fifteen minutes."

Shoving the files at Hotch, Reid hurried off. He couldn't ever remember feeling this stressed before. He was exhausted, he was stressed, he was agitated and the three together was a dangerous combination. He couldn't think right when he was like this... and if he didn't get into the right frame of mind, he wasn't going to be any use to anyone.

"Hey, stranger." Eden's voice said as he came into the break room. She was dunking a bag into a cup of steaming water. "You look like a zombie. Are you alright?"

"That's a really dumb question." He grumbled, snatching up a mug.

"Touchy," She sneered. "We can't all be geniuses, you know."

He didn't reply. Reid poured out some coffee and went to dump an offensive amount of sugar into it. "How's the misses?"

"She's... okay. Better." He stirred to help the grains dissolve. "I just wish she'd get here already. I hate when she's late!"

"Oh come on. I know you're worried, but what could happen to her in broad daylight?" Eden wondered. She removed her teabag and dropped it in a trash bin.

Reid emitted an irritated chuckle. "This is not the time nor the place to get into that story."

Eden grinned lightly as she went to squeeze some honey into her hot tea. "She'll be fine. You worry too much."

"Dr. Reid!" another voice cried as she ran into the room. Reid turned suddenly, startled. Immediately, he spotted Bridget Murphey looking rather harrassed, like she'd run the whole way here.

"Bridget." He said, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I need your help. It's my sister!" She paused to try and catch her breath. "Someone's after her."

"What do you mean? How do you know that?" He wondered.

"I came in this morning after getting some breakfast. There was this strange doctor examining her IV and was very startled when I walked in. He said he was just checking on her and left before I could ask who he was. I was so worried he was going to hurt my sister. I had to come and find you, you're the only one who can help me."

"Why did you leave her there?" He was suddenly panicked. "If no one's watching her-"

"She's not at the hospital." She explained. "I managed to sneak her out and I took her somewhere safe. She's talking much better now, I need you to speak with her. She said she'll only speak to you."

"Alright, let me inform my team, maybe send someone to the hospital-"

"There isn't time!" She cried. "Please, we have to leave now. I can't leave her alone too long. Please!"

"Alright," Reid said soothingly. He looked to Eden, setting his coffee back down. Speaking quietly, he said, "I should be back soon, let the others know where I went. And my wife when she gets here."

"I will." She assured, empathetically.

Reid checked his watch one more time. Where the hell was Riley? He had a gnawing feeling he should call her or Emily and demand to know where they were, but he didn't have the time. All he could do was hope he was just overreacting. Grabbing his coat, he left quickly with Bridget, forcing the thousand terrible thoughts and images from his mind.


	26. Play Along

It was like someone was screaming his problem in his ear, over and over like a broken record. Morgan was alone in the conference room, trying to work on the profile but all he could think about was his dilemma with Emily. He didn't want to lose her. He didn't want to give her up, to pretend he wasn't falling in love with her... but they were in so deep now. Perhaps this was too far gone for either of them to fix. He couldn't bring this up to her... he knew even before this started, it was crazy to believe Emily Prentiss would ever want to be with someone like him. Why was he even fighting that?

"Hey, Yankee, working hard?" A voice said behind him, which he recognized immediately.

Morgan turned to her. Inspector Eden stood before him, with folded arms and a suggestive smile. He had to admit, with her shapely curves and sparkling eyes, he wouldn't think twice about hitting on her. He could easily spend 36 hours of bad decisions with her and both walk away without a bit of regret. But it didn't matter... she wasn't Emily. He'd never be able to laugh and talk with her in bed the way he could with Emily, and enjoy that almost as much as the sex. He couldn't get that shock of electricity at just a touch with anyone else. He really hated to admit it, but maybe Reid was right. If he wanted the chance to be happy, he would have to talk to her. And stop playing these stupid games.

"Did I frighten you?" She wondered.

"You just startled me a bit," He said, turning around. "I was distracted, I have a lot on my mind."

"I'd say so." She agreed. "I do hope we solve this case soon, I'd be more than happy to help... clear your mind."

If Morgan was going to take this more seriously, he had to start now. "Yeah... uh, about that..." He noticed her expression droop a bit. "I need to be honest with you."

"You haven't been honest with me?" She wondered, confused.

"More I haven't been honest with myself." He replied. "Eden... don't think it's because I'm not attracted to you. You have a body I'd love to worship for hours on end... but I'm not that person anymore. And... I'm ashamed of it, but I've been using you these last few days. I'm sorry."

That came as a bit of a surprise, but Eden took the news in stride. "I see... so... all this time, you've just been flirting with me to make Agent Prentiss jealous?"

He was even more surprised than she was. "How did you know it was because of Prentiss?"

"Because she looks at me like she wants to slaughter me. Thank the Lord she can't have a gun while she's here." Eden explained. "I sense there's a story there."

"Yeah, a long one..." Morgan explained. "But, in a nutshell, I realize that... she's the only person I want to be with. She may not feel the same way, but I have to at least find out. I'm sorry I led you on, I hope you can understand."

"Well, I appreciate your honesty, Morgan." She said kindly. "It's a shame, though, I was looking forward to an evening with you."

"Believe me, if it wasn't for her... I would be first in line for that. I'm just not that person anymore" Morgan assured.

At those words, he suddenly had an epiphany. He truly wasn't that person anymore. His life had changed drastically over the last year. He may have kept up the appearance of his old self, but he wasn't that man anymore. And a person didn't change so profoundly for just anybody. It had to be a very special woman to effect him like that.

Eden gave him a brush on the arm as she smiled. "I don't know what happened between you and her, but whatever it is, I hope you can work it out. And I wish you the best of luck."

At that, she reached up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. Morgan was comforted by it, giving a small smile. As he looked up, he glanced over the top of Eden's head, his good feeling dispersing immediately.

The doorway to the squad room had been darkened for several moments as Emily Prentiss watched them, observing the chaste yet private moment together.

She couldn't help but give Morgan a glare, the pain of rejection in her eyes. Emily turned quickly and hurried out of sight, walking as fast as possible without seeming to appear. Morgan felt horrible. He didn't even know she'd gotten here yet.

"Oh, dear," Eden exclaimed. "Should I go an explain to her what happened?"

"No, I'll talk to her later." Morgan said. "We need to get back to work anyway, I'm sure Garcia has some results by now. I'll go... get everyone."

He hurried out in quick pursuit, though only one member of his team was on his mind.

* * *

><p>In the break room, Riley was pouring herself a cup of the weak coffee. Horrible, yes, but it was better than nothing. She had expected Spencer to be here, demanding to know where she'd been for so long. The girls had taken their time getting back to the station after breakfast, neither being in any hurry ot get back to work on this.<p>

Surprisingly, he was nowhere to be found. Riley leaned on the counter, curious as to what was keeping her husband. But then again, he may have gotten a break in the case or lost track of time. It had happened before, ruining many of their plans over the years. Riley was understood, it was collateral damage with the job, being separated a lot of the time. Still, she'd like just a moment or two with him.

Her thoughts were distracted as Emily hurried in. She looked like was ready to burst out crying while going on a murderous rampage at the same time. "What's wrong?" Riley asked, worried.

She was trying to keep calm, not wanting this to upset her. "Nothing, I just need some coffee."

"Well, there's water here resembling coffee, will that do?" She mentioned, stepping aside. Happily, it brought a small smile to Emily's face. "Did you see Spencer?"

Emily hadn't exactly been looking for Reid. She couldn't remember seeing him, but if he'd spotted her he would have asked for where Riley was. "No... I saw Rossi and JJ... and Hotch is speaking with Garcia... but he was nowhere to be found."

"That's alright," She replied softly. It bothered her he hadn't come to see her yet. He'd been so concerned this morning, what changed? Maybe he didn't know they were here.

"Prentiss," Morgan exclaimed as he rushed in. "That wasn't what it looked like?"

"What?" Riley asked, confused. "What didn't look like... what?"

"Uh..." Morgan was not in the mood to explain more of this tangled web they were trapped in. "Parker, would you give us some privacy? The rest of the team is gathering in the conference room, we'll be in in a minute."

Riley agreed, delighted she would at last get to see Spencer. Her pathetic excuse for coffee wasn't worth being brought to the meeting and left it behind. She left the break room and the two agents were alone. Emily wanted to tell her to stay, needing a third party in order to remain calm.

Morgan launched into an explanation. "I know what you're thinking, but Eden and I were just talking-"

"It doesn't matter, you said we were finished." She pointed out, unable to keep from being bitter. "You can sleep with every available woman in the London area for all I care... not that it would have stopped you before.

"Em, will you just listen to me!" Morgan hissed, trying not to yell. "I know what I said... but I want to talk. There's some things... that I still need to say to you. Things I haven't said before."

Emily paused a moment, unsure what to expect from that. Regardless, she nodded. "I actually have some things I'd like to get off my chest. But we're in the middle of the case, we need to focus."

"You're right." Morgan said. "We'll pick this up when the case is over, then."

"Fair enough." She answered. Wasting no time, she started towards the door. "We'd better meet with the others before they get suspicious."

Emily didn't even wait for his reply before she hurried to the conference room. Morgan stood alone in his distress. There was no way out. This was the threat when getting into a romantic relationship with anyone you knew personally. Morgan knew, for good or bad, there was no going back to the way things were. He was either going to have everything he dreamed of... or lose her forever.

* * *

><p>It was hard for Riley to concentrate, hoping Reid would get back soon. The others had told her how he'd gone off with Bridget Murphy in order to protect Sarah Neilson. He was such a kind person, how could he not go to help her? It was just unsettling to her for him to be on his own, so vulnerable to whoever was hunting them. The unsub could be stalking him right now... following him... waiting for just the right moment to strike. But maybe, whoever this doctor was, was the person they were looking for. At least, he might be able to help them find whoever was doing this.<p>

"He has to stalk his victims." Rossi stated. "We know that, because he always knows the time to strike so he won't be interrupted."

"Except with Reid and Riley." JJ corrected.

"The unsub can't predict everything." Hotch explained. "He may not kill again until he has both Reid and Riley, though. That's the bright side."

"Or, he already has other victims in mind and he'll attack them until he gets another opportunity." Argued Morgan. "There's no way to know. Did anyone match the profile in your search, Garcia?"

"Nada, mi amigo." Garcia announced. "I compared back history to all employees of the Grislow and no one matches what we've found. There's been no disgruntled employees, no request for Bereavement Leave, everything seems peachy keen."

"But you haven't even finished the profile." Paul said. "How can you be sure none of them are who you're looking for?"

"We can't." Rossi said. "Something is missing that will connect the profile together, which will help narrow down a suspect list. But sometimes, and they are rare occasions, we don't find that last detail until we actually catch the unsub. Unfortunately, those cases don't end well."

"Guys..." Emily muttered slowly. She'd been considering something for the last fifteen minutes. It might sound ridiculous put into words. "What if we're wrong? We're focusing on one type of unsub when it's been the complete opposite?"

"What do you mean?" Hotch asked. "An unsub team?"

"No, I mean..." It made so much more sense, it was a wonder they hadn't thought of it before. "What if the unsub is a woman?"

Everyone in the room looked at her in question, considering her idea for a long time. "Are you sure you're not grasping at straws, Prentiss?" Morgan asked.

"No, it doesn't, it makes perfect sense." Emily cried. She stood up, thinking better on her feet. She went to the evidence board to point out the parts of the profile and how it fit with her theory. "She holds a grudge against alpha males, just as we thought. But, instead of a man who's love was stolen by an alpha... she was in love with an alpha who betrayed her. Most likely she feel abandoned."

"It's not impossible." Hotch agreed.

"But why bludgeon the alpha? Violent deaths are more a masculine form of killing, is it not?" Bradbury spoke.

"Not necessarily." Rossi informed. "We've seen enough women commit violent crimes, it does happen."

"Especially if she's angry." Morgan added.

"But why would she violently kill the male and mercy kill the female?" JJ asked.

Riley considered the aspect of the theory, "Mercy killings are committed when the suspect feels sympathy for the victim. It could be for a number of reasons, but it all stems down to not wanting the person to feel pain."

"I don't think she's killing the women for their benefit." Emily announced. "She may see herself as the female. She kills her because she can't kill herself."

"Suicide by Proxy is pretty rare, Em." Riley stated. "But, in a circumstance like this... I definitely wouldn't rule it out."

Eden had been quiet the entire time. From the moment Emily voiced her theory, a sick feeling began to fester in her stomach. Her mind kept reliving the scene over and over, watching Reid step out with that girl. Nothing about her alarmed the inspector when she first saw Bridget... but this case was completely different than anything she experienced.

"Excuse me," Eden said, standing up. "I hate to interrupt but... I need to ring someone."

The others glanced at each other. No one was more confused by that than Bradbury and Paul, knowing she'd never done this before, acting on a personal matter in the middle of work. Eden walked over to Riley, "Would it be alright if I use your mobile?"

"Why do you need to use mine?" Riley asked, annoyed.

"Evie, you can use mine." Bradbury said, pulling his out.

"No!" She cried, startling everyone. She looked to Riley once again. "No... yours. I need to use yours. Please."

Rolling her eyes, Riley pulled out her phone. Didn't this woman understand she was waiting for her husband to call? Reluctantly, she tugged out her cell and almost slammed it in the inspector's hand. "Thank you," Eden said kindly, and hurried out to make her call. Riley watched her leave, disliking her more and more the longer they worked together.

* * *

><p>They'd been driving a lot longer than Reid had suspected. Bridget was driving, though Reid had offered. Despite his lack of experience, he assumed she may have been too upset to control a vehicle. But once they were on the road, Bridget was calm, collected, and completely silent. In spite of all his attempts to question about her sister's condition or what happened at the hospital, she remained eerily quiet.<p>

He was certain Bridget was driving in circles purposely, like she were trying to make sure she wasn't being followed. Reid didn't know the city very well, but his memory didn't fail him. He knew these streets, he'd driven down here before... a few days ago. Reid had a sense of where they were going... but why would she keep her sister there?

Just as he looked to her to ask, he stopped, catching the sight of her left hand. The rare, afternoon sun glinted through the window, sparkling off the silver and gold on her finger... her ring finger. Two rings sat on her hand and Reid stared at them in shock... He would know that diamond ring anywhere, having stared at it every night for over a year before he finally got down on one knee.

Before Reid could say anything, he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Bridget made no indication that she cared he answered and he quickly pulled it out. Spotting the ID, he answered, anxious to finally talk to her.

"Hey, Sweetheart," He said, trying to speak calmly. The less Riley knew the better. "About time I heard from you, are you at the station?"

But it wasn't Riley's voice on the other end. "Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just play along." Eden informed "Pretend you're talking to your wife."

Reid hoped his face didn't give anything way, wondering if Bridget was watching him. "Baby, what's wrong, you sound upset?"

"I'm ringing you on your wife's mobile so Bridget won't suspect anything... I believe she's the unsub." She informed. "She fooled you into thinking her sister needed help, she's planning to kill you today, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah," Reid muttered. "I had just thought the same thing... funny how we think alike, isn't it?"

Eden sighed sadly. However much he was hiding it, she could hear the anxiety in his voice. "Do you have any idea where you are?"

"I know, there's a lot of places I'm seeing that I never planned for us to visit." Reid said, hoping she'd get the hint. It was probably too subtle; how was he supposed to give her a clue to where he was without letting Bridget know?

She didn't seem to understand. "Do you see... any street signs? Distinguishing marks?"

"Now, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" He teased.

That was pretty clever. If he started describing his location, Bridget would suspect and could possibly act sooner. "Alright... if you can call us back, call your wife's phone. I'll inform the team, we'll do everything we can to get to you... in time."

"Well, I can handle myself, you should know that... we've been through worse. And we always manage to get through." He said carefully, taking a quick glance at his driver. She stared straight ahead as she continued to drive, her face completely impassive.

"It's going to be alright, we'll find you." She stated. "Just hang in there."

"I will, and..." He paused, wishing with every part of him this was Riley. He couldn't underestimate the situation he was in. There was no telling what this woman had planned. There was a chance he wasn't going to get out of this alive... all he wanted was to go back to that hotel room and stay there with the woman he loved. Forever. He wanted to hear her voice, even if it was just one more time.

He finally got his thoughts together. "...I just... I want you to know... I love you. You are my everything, my always and forever. No matter where I go or what I do... I will always find my way back to you."

Eden was not a sensitive person, but even she could feel herself tearing up at that. "I'll tell her, Reid. Just hang on, we're coming."

"Okay, bye." Reid said hung up quickly. He glanced at Bridget. "Sorry about that, sometimes she just needs to be reassured."

"How did you figure it out?" She asked, glancing at him with cold eyes.

Reid swallowed, wishing he had his gun with him. It was ironic how much he hated the weapon when it was forced on him, not it was almost his life source. "Your wearing my wife's rings. I knew our killer had taken them."

"I see..." She snarled, her teeth gritted. "Well, I am glad you got to say goodbye to her. I know how much you love her."

"You don't have to do this, Bridget." Reid said. "I can tell you're in pain... let me help you. You can make this right by coming forward, we can get you some help."

"I don't need help." She muttered, closing her eyes. Reid noticed as the speed of the car began to increase. "After tonight, it will all be over. The pain will finally be gone."

"Bridget," Reid called sternly. "Please... stop the car."

She never opened her eyes, like if she wasn't looking, she'd be brave enough to do this. Her foot to pressed further and further onto the accelerator. Reid closed his eyes in fear as the car swung around, feeling his side slam into the closest building. Had he not been wearing his seat belt, he probably would have been thrown from the car.

Reid groaned as a great pressure of pain filled his head. He hadn't even realized he'd hit his head in the crash. Unscathed, Bridget started climbing out the car quickly, but Reid was much too disoriented to move. All he could do was lean back, reaching up to find the source of the pain. The side of his head was already tender, probably turning black and blue. A trickle of blood went down from his temple.

Bridget stood outside his door, working a moment or two to open it. It was too badly wrecked to be opened again, and she went back to the driver's side. "Out of the car. Now." She ordered.

Reid wanted to fight her, but he didn't know how. He carefully climbed out without complaint, the pain in his head increasing with each move his body made. Dizzy and confused, Reid was completely at her will.

* * *

><p>AN: Bonus points to pipinheart who was the only one who suspected it might be a woman. :) I'm glad you guys are liking it, review! I love to hear what you guys think! :)


	27. Voicemail

Even the cloudy London sky was too bright for Reid right now. His head was throbbing and the more he moved, the worse he felt. If he hadn't already suspected where he was, he would have been completely lost. Not that it did him any good. Eden hadn't picked up on his hint and there was no way to get word to the team now. He didn't need to reach into his pocket to know what the jagged plastic and metal meant in his pocket; another result of the car crash.

As they started down a set of steps, Reid could take no more. He bent over and vomited on the cement, only remaining up right from the help of his captor.

"I'll get you some water when we get inside." Bridget said, patting his back soothingly.

Reid heaved and gagged for several minutes, his hand leaning against the wall for support. Once the last of it was up, he stood and wiped his mouth. "Why bother if you're just going to kill me?" He squinted his eyes, the better to see her. A few more steps and they'd be in the darkness. At least it wouldn't hurt so much to see then.

"I know you can't understand, Dr. Reid, but I have to do this." She informed. Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, to appreciate the pain she was in. "I can't live with this anymore... and this is the only way."

"And what about my wife?" He wondered. "Are you going to kill me first and then go after her? Or stash me until you can drag her here and kill us together. If I get a request, I'll take the ladder."

"I'm not going to kill your wife. I don't need to anymore." Bridget replied with a smile. She seemed so at peace as she said it, like she'd been waiting for this moment for a long time. "I'll explain everything once we're inside... we have plenty of time to talk."

Confused, "You're not going to kill me right away?"

"That wouldn't be how it goes." Was all she said. "Come now, Sarah's waiting. We'll have a nice talk, we'll have supper... and then we'll go to bed."

And with that, she began to carefully descending the steps again, guiding Reid along. He wanted to resist her, but it was taking enough energy just to move with her. He knew he had a concussion and it wouldn't be long before he wanted to go to sleep. He needed to save his energy so he could stay awake. But he had a bit more hope now. If Bridget wasn't going to kill him right away, it would give the others time to find him.

At last at the bottom of the steps, she pulled Reid into a long tunnel. The last ray of daylight disappeared as they walked, continuing into the cold darkness.

* * *

><p>Eden was not looking forward to this conversation. She felt a great responsibility for letting Reid go with that girl, even though there was nothing that suggested she had ill will towards him. And even if she had suspected something, Reid probably would have gone anyway. He wouldn't risk putting an innocent girl in danger for a simple suspicion.<p>

"You alright now, Evie?" Paul asked as she came back in.

Looking around, the BAU team was still present, but Riley had stepped out. "Where's Mrs. Reid?"

"She went to the Ladies' Room." JJ replied, concerned. "Why, what's wrong?"

With a deep breath, she gently laid Riley's cell back on the table. Leaning on the back of the closet chair for support, she admitted. "Reid's... with the unsub."

"What?" Hotch asked.

"When Agent Prentiss began to theorize that the killer was a female... I thought of the woman that Reid stepped out with... Bridget Murphy. She's taken him."

The team was suddenly tense, not wanting to believe this was true. Morgan stood up, speaking fiercely. "You can't just automatically assume someone is a suspect because she's the same gender. You have no proof."

"When we spoke, he said he had the same theory right before I rang him." She explained. "I may not have proof right now, but it's true. Your friend is danger, we have to do something. She's going to kill him."

They wanted to just believe Eden was jumping to conclusions. After all, she wasn't a profiler. She didn't have the expertise to be able to asses a suspect after several hours, let alone thirty seconds. But they couldn't dismiss her theory, especially considering Reid's history.

"Let's look into it." Rossi said. "Garcia, find out what you can on Bridget Murphy."

"I'm like the wind, sir!" Garcia announced, immediately starting to type on her laptop. She wished she was back in her lair in Quantico, with her state-of-the-art technology at her fingertips. After all, there had to be a lot of Bridget Murphys in the world, this could take awhile on her portable computer.

"We need to speak to your techinical staff." Hotch said to Bradbury. "Garcia's system has to go through the FBI to track his phone, it'll be faster if we use your system here."

"Paul and I will take care of that." He answered. "We'll be back as soon as we get a handle on the signal."

Morgan pulled out his own phone, "Why don't we try calling him?" He said, searching through his contacts until he found the right number. "It might save us some time."

"If he is in danger, we can't risk too many people calling him all the time." Emily cried. "She'll suspect we know, she could kill him faster."

"Maybe not." Rossi replied. "Why risk capturing him if she's just going to kill him quickly? She has to have something planned."

Morgan's face grimaced as he rolled his eyes. "It's going straight to voicemail, his phone must be off."

"I just spoke to him a moment ago." Eden cried.

"Maybe she made him turn it off." JJ suggested. "Or maybe he turned it off to protect himself."

Hotch spotted Riley down the hall, returning from the restroom. "Guys, until we have some solid evidence, let's... keep this from Riley. Getting her upset is not going to help anyone."

"How can we search for Reid if we're keeping this from her?" Emily asked.

"JJ, why don't you take Riley back to the hotel and stay with her there. Just tell her we want her to get some rest. We'll be able to work here." Hotch ordered.

"And we're supposed to just... lie to her about what's going on with Reid?" JJ asked. "We did that before, Hotch, and I still don't feel right about it."

"Me neither," Garcia cried. "And she talked with Bridget, couldn't she help us track her down?"

"That's true," Rossi said. "She's the only one of us who's remotely familiar with her, Riley could tell us things we'd never find on our own."

Hotch considered it, and it seemed keeping Riley close by would be more helpful than getting her out of the way. "Alright, but... let me explain this to her privately. She's going to be upset enough, she doesn't need everyone here watching her reaction."

"Who's reaction?" Riley asked, catching the last bit. She glanced around the room, letting out an annoyed sigh. "He's still not back yet?"

"Riley..." Hotch muttered, choosing his words carefully. "Do you want to go get some coffee?"

"No thanks, the coffee here's horrible." Riley joked, going to take her seat.

"You're absolutely right, so grab your coat and we'll go out and get some. For everyone." Hotch stated.

Since when did the boss offer to run out and get everyone coffee? Especially in the middle of a case. "What's going on?"

"We'll talk about it in private." He stated, unmoving on his decision to get her alone.

Suspicious and slightly bothered, she nodded. "Okay... let me get my things."

At that, she spotted her phone on the table and grabbed it. Checking it, she sighed with relief and smiled. "Well, it's about time."

"What?" Morgan asked.

"I got a voicemail from Spencer." She said happily. "Let me just listen to this and I'll meet you out there."

Everyone looked around in panic, unsure what could be in that message. Eden stepped forward. "You know, I think that message is for me. Could I listen to it?"

"My husband left _you_ a voicemail on _my_phone?" Riley asked. She'd had just about enough of this. She was tired of sacrificing what little time she had on this, of having no time with the man she loved. All her anger was boiling to the surface and it was all focused on this woman. "Look, I know you've monopolized most of his time on our honeymoon, but I am still his wife. He called my phone because he wants to speak to me, not you. I'd appreciate it if you could maybe give me a little more respect than that!"

"Riley," Emily hissed.

Riley wouldn't listen, however, glaring at a despondent Inspector Eden as she listened to the message. The room was silent as they waited, second by second... and Riley's tired face went to a sickly, ashen color.

"Oh my God," Riley whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

"What is it?" JJ asked, terrified.

Riley was shaking so bad, she couldn't work the phone. Eden stepped forward quickly to take it while Morgan hurried over to help the horrified bride into a chair. Following the commands on the phone, Eden quickly put the phone on speaker and replayed the voicemail.

_"How did you figure it out?_" The Irish voice of Bridget Murphy asked.

A hesitant pause lasted for some time until Reid's voice replied, trying to remain calm. _"Your wearing my wife's rings. I knew our killer had taken them._"

"_I see..."_ She growled. "_Well, I am glad you got to say goodbye to her. I know how much you love her."_

"_You don't have to do this, Bridget."_ Reid said, almost pleading with her. "_I can tell you're in pain... let me help you. You can make this right by coming forward, we can get you some help."_

_"I don't need help."_ She muttered, choking back tears. _"After tonight, it will all be over. The pain will finally be gone."_

"_Bridget_," Reid called sternly. _"Please... stop the car."_

There was no more talking at that point. Only the hum of the car's engine soon followed by a crash. At that, the line went dead. Eden took the phone and removed the speaker. "He must not have... hung up correctly after we spoke... the phone automatically redialed, went straight to the answer phone and left that conversation."

"She crashed the car," Morgan said, solemnly. He didn't want to think what could have happened in that accident. "Was that her plan all along?"

"Probably only in the effort to subdue him." Rossi replied. "Injure him enough where he would be at her mercy. She's building up to something intense... as her final message."

"But where is she taking him?" Eden asked.

"He didn't give you any kind of clue of where they were heading?" Hotch questioned.

"None that I could pick up immediately." She replied. "I can try and brainstorm a bit, but I can't promise anything."

"JJ, why don't you help her with that. You're good at questioning people. The rest of us need to figure out what we can about Bridget Murphy."

He glanced at Riley, who sat at the table, her head in her hands. He hated to put her through this, all of them did, but what choice did they have?

"Riley, I know you're upset, but we need your help right now." He announced.

"I should have been here." She moaned, taking her hands away. Riley looked to Emily, so guilty and ashamed. "We should have just come right to the station... I would have been here when she showed up."

"You wouldn't have thought to stop him, Riley." Emily exclaimed. "If you look at the facts, if you were with Reid when Bridget got here, you probably would have gone with him. And then we'd be searching for the both of you."

"And instead you're here, able to help us." Morgan added.

It took a moment for his words to register. Riley slowly got back to her feet, looking at him in amazement. "I can't help you." Her grief was quickly being replaced by fury, feeling so helpless in the for her help made her feel worse. "I'm just here for a psychological opinion, you're the ones who actually catch the killers. You're the ones who do this for a living. I'm useless to you."

"Not this time." Hotch corrected. "Riley... you are the only one here who encountered Bridget. You had a conversation with her, you can tell us more about her than Garcia will."

"You're asking me... to profile her?" Riley asked, stunned. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Rossi wanted to know. "For reasons beyond my understanding, you're in love with that eccentric genius, so I know you want him back in one piece. More than any of us."

"It's not a matter that I don't want to help, I do!" She argued. "I just can't! I wouldn't even know where to start."

"We'll help you." Emily assured. "You can do this, you just need to think."

"No, I can't do it! I cannot do it!" Riley yelled, as if the louder she spoke, the better she could get her point across. Tears were forming in her eyes, trying not to think of the time they were wasting by pleading with her. I can't analyze clues, I can't read people's body language, I can barely remember the conversation I had with her. If you rely on me, Spencer will die!"

"Riley, whatever Garcia finds isn't going to tell us nearly as much as what you can." Hotch explained. "You may not know a lot, but without you, we have nothing. You have to do this, you are Spencer's only hope."

"Aaron," She squeaked, tears streaming down her face. "I am therapist. I am not a profiler."

Hotch was not in the mood to argue, to listen to her insecurities about this. He stared deep into her frightened brown eyes, his so cold and grave. "Today, you're a profiler."

And that was the end of it. Riley had no more room to argue, the only sound was her labored breathing as she silently cried. At last, she gave a subtle nod and Hotch turned to Emily. "You and Morgan, take her to the break room and work with her. Eden, work with JJ, you can use the board. Rossi and I will wait for Garcia's results with the other inspectors."

Without another word, he stepped out of the conference room through the opposite door. Emily glanced at Morgan carefully, trying to silently determine how to handle this. She took a tentative step towards Riley, lightly brushing her arm. Without a word, the two agents led the terrified psychiatrist out into the hall. There was no time to lose.


	28. Hopeless

Riley had already settled at the table in the break room. Her head rested on her arms as she tried not to think what Spencer was enduring at that very moment. Emily was making her a hot cup of tea to help her relax, her back to her. Morgan pretended to busy himself with a cup of coffee, lowering his voice.

"How should we go about this?" He asked. Emily knew her better than he did, she'd know the best way to get answers out of her.

"Riley's a a woman of science. Even emotional like this, she can be rational. We just need to be direct, that's all." She assured, pulling the bag out of the hot water.

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not here." Riley called, sitting up. "You don't need to tiptoe around me like I'm some common victim."

Apologetically, Emily and Morgan turned to her. "We're sorry, Rye... we just have a lot of things we need to cover if we're going to learn anything and... we don't want to upset you." Emily said, her tone sympathetic.

"I'm already upset." Riley corrected. "But I don't expect my mood will improve if I return from my honeymoon a widow. If you guys are right and this is going to help Spencer... then I think we're wasting time."

Clutching his beverage, Morgan came over and claimed the seat beside her, his back to the wall. "Let's get started then... first, you need to describe what Bridget looked like."

She let out a sigh, thinking. Her main concern that day hadn't been on Sarah's sister; it took more than a minute to put her into her mind's eye. Riley often envied Reid's astounding memory, none more than now.

"She was young." Was her first response. "I guess anyone would notice that immediately. She looked at least five years younger than Spencer and me, maybe more." She looked from Morgan to Emily and back again. "I suppose that doesn't help you much, does it?"

"Actually, age is important when creating a profile." Morgan explained. "Younger people are more irrational, it helps us judge their next move. What else?"

Considering a moment. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she was depressed."

"Why would you say that?" Emily asked as she stirred in a bit of honey.

"She had a very plain appearance about her. Her hair was in a bun, she had thick framed glasses... but her clothes were very drab and worn... like she wasn't even concerned about looking her best. She did say she was a widow, maybe... after her husband died, she slipped into a depression."

"That could be her stresser." Morgan suggested, looking up to Emily.

"No," Riley corrected. "She said her husband died two years ago, an accident."

"Hmm," Emily muttered considering that. At last, she brought the tea over, setting it in front of her. She claimed the chair on the other side of her. "Bridget's not exactly in her right mind, she may have convinced herself it was an accident."

"You think she murdered her husband?" Morgan asked.

Before Emily could answer, Riley shook her head. "I don't think so... I'm sure it wasn't anything planned. She and I talked alone for a few minutes while Spencer looked over Sarah. She was very nostalgic... like she really loved him. If her husband's death did cause her to snap, she had nothing to do with it."

They were getting off topic, and Morgan steered the conversation back. "Alright, let's talk about your conversation with her. Did you notice anything strange about her demeanor, her attitude?"

"No, that's why this was such a shock. She seemed like a nice girl..." Riley considered that a moment. "Damaged, but nice."

"What do you mean by damaged?" He wondered.

Riley thought carefully, trying to describe Bridget's personality in detail. "Her arms were folded, she... guarded herself by wrapping her caridgan tightly around her. She couldn't make eye contact, she had to stare at the floor most of the time."

"That's remorse." Emily revealed. "She knew already you and Reid were going to be her next target." Her eyes flew up to meet Morgan's, "Which means she doesn't do this because she's angry or she's trying to send a message... she does it because she has to."

Leaning back in his chair, "But why?"

That was the question, it seemed. Without an answer, there was nothing to determine why this woman kept killing. Or, for that matter, what it would take for her to stop.

"I should have known," Riley whispered, her hands reached across the table to wrap around the styrofoam of the cup, warming her palms. "I should have seen how interested she was in us, how she mentioned how in love we were... and I shouldn't take him for granted. That woman was planning our murders, I stood right in front of her and... I felt sorry for her!"

"Riley, it's going to be okay," Emily tried to reassure, patting her shoulder. She looked up to glance at Morgan, needing his support to help her through this.

"You don't know that. He was in one accident already, you don't know how badly he's been injured! What if he's not even concious?" She cried, her eyes welling as she met Emily's in her furious rage. "And we're just sitting here, we're not learning anything."

"What you're telling us is helping," Morgan corrected. "We've already learned a lot, but we're not done. Now... do you remember seeing Bridget anywhere at the Grislow over the week?"

Riley thought for a long time. She had seen a lot of people at the hotel, but no one that stuck out in her mind. "No," She shook her head. "I mean, Spencer would be more likely to remember that, but... truthfully, I don't think she was there."

"You know maid's uniforms are fairly the same wherever you go." Emily said, more to Morgan it seemed. "It's possible she snuck in and snatched an extra one, swiped a name tag and just pretended to work there. And did the same in the other hotels."

"It doesn't include the apartment though, where the second victims were killed." Morgan pointed out.

Emily had a sudden epiphany to that. "When she decided to target the Philips, she could have snuck into the apartment building as a maid service."

"Good point," He replied.

"I don't mean to sound like an insentive person, but I really don't care about the other victims." Riley announced. "I just want to know where she's taken my husband... do we have any theories about that?"

"It may not feel like it, Riley, but this will help us make a better profile." Morgan said, patting her forearm. "You know we're going to do everything to bring him home, Riley."

She knew that, but even doing everything possible wasn't enough, especially when someone's life was on the line. Riley tried to keep positive, but closed her eyes as she nodded, a few tears finally escaping.

"I'm going to go check on the others, you ladies come in when you're ready." Morgan stood out of his chair. Emily couldn't help watching him walk out.

Once he was gone, though, she reached over and took Riley's closest hand. The other one went up to cover her eyes as more tears spilled out.

"He promised me..." she mumbled, her hand resting on her temple. "He promised me we'd grow old together... promises are good when you're heart is in the right place, but maybe I was stupid to actually believe it

"Riley," she soothed, stroking her shoulder gently. She could not let her give up hope yet. "Reid is strong, you know that. He's trained in situations like this, even without his former experience."

."Emily, my husband is injured and lost in a city we don't know, a unsub you barely know how to profile. If there ever was a definition of hopeless..."

Her words drifted off, replaced by sobs. Emily pulled her into her arms, letting her cry on her shoulder.

"Why couldn't I be the last one to talk to him?" She wept, clinging to her friend. "I know him better than anyone... he could have mentioned something, a clue or a message for us to him... I could have at least told him I love him..."

"Mrs. Reid?" a timid voice squeaked from the doorway. Emily and Riley both looked up, finding Inspector Eden. She didn't want to intrude or disturb the poor, worried wife, but she promised Reid she'd tell her. And maybe her words could bring a bit of comfort to her.

"Did you find something, Eden?" Emily asked as Riley wiped her eyes.

"No..." She admitted, stepping in. "I just... I have something to tell Mrs. Reid. A message from her husband."

"He gave you a message?" Riley gasped, standing up.

"I don't think it's anything useful," Eden explained. "It's just... something he wanted to tell you."

True, his message wasn't anything that would lead the team in the right direction. Someone of a lesser heart might even say it was useless, but Riley felt reassured by the words. There was no proof Reid would keep his words, but it didn't seem so devestatingly hopeless anymore.

* * *

><p>Reid groaned as Bridget gently guided him onto the floor. He'd had his eyes closed for the last few minutes, the pressure in his head building. He should be looking for a way out, to remember the path in case he was given the chance to escape. But all he could think about was laying down and going to sleep. Forever.<p>

He closed his eyes, trying to rebuild his strength. Reid focused on his breathing, fighting down the nausea that was starting to build again.

The touch of something soft brushed his hand and he gasped sharply. At first, he thought it was a mouse. He opened his eyes and felt more pain as the shine of the flourescent lights came through. Once the wave pulled back again, Reid got a better view of the room.

It was cold and the floor was made of concrete. There were dozens of shelves with boxes and wrapped brown packages, several stacks of crates and trunks. It must be some kind of basement. And that smell... he recognized that smell. It was very distinct; there must be gallons of it down here. If only Eden could recognize his hint, she know exactly where he was.

Looking around, though, he noticed the source of the creature running over his hand. It wasn't a mouse at all. Reid looked surprised at Sarah Neilson's frightened eyes. She was still wearing a hospital gown. On one wrist was a bracelet and the nozzle for her IV tube to be inserted. A makeshift bed had been made for her out of old blankets. Her color didn't look good, either. It was pale and sickly looking, and she seemed so tired.

"Dr. Reid?" She asked. Her voice was scratchy and hoarse, but much louder than a whisper.

"You remember me?" He asked. He never realized how exhausting the effort of talking was.

"Of course, I do..." She panted. It was just as taxing to her as well. "I wanted to tell you yesterday... but I couldn't... get anything out..."

"I know," Reid nodded carefully. "Did you know it was your sister all along?"

"Not... until... a few hours ago." She revealed. "Bridge... forced me... to leave. She... admitted... everything when... we got here."

"Did she really work for your brother?" He asked.

With a shake of her head, "She used to... but since... her husband's suicide... she's lived in London."

"Suicide?" Reid asked. That was it. It explained the MO perfectly with the profile.

"She's going to kill us..." Sarah struggled to talk, both panting and sobbing at the same time.

"That's not going to happen." Reid affirmed. It seemed easier to be strong when he needed to be there for someone. "My team is the best in the world, I know they'll find us... but they don't know this city. They may not get here in time... so I think it may be up to us to get out of here. Sarah, I know that you're tired and you're sick... and you probably feel like you have nothing to live for... but you do. You have everything to live for. So we need to work together if we're going to survive. Will you help me?"

With glistening eyes, she nodded. "What do you propose we do?"

Reid leaned back on a stack of crates, a little surprised he didn't need to convince her. But even so, he had no real response to her question. "I don't know."

* * *

><p>Soon, everyone returned to the conference room. The board had been replaced with what Eden could remember of hers and Reid's conversation. Nothing seemed to be usable evidence. Bradbury and Hotch had worked together, listening to Reid's voicemail a few times, but it didn't do much more help than the first time. Morgan had done an outline of Bridget's profile, trying to figure where someone like her would want to commit her final kill.<p>

At the very least, Garcia had been successful in her work. "I believe, my fine feathered friends, I have found the Bridget Murphy we are in pursuit of." Having some result seemed to have at least a minor effect on her attitude, like they were finally accomplishing something. "Care to take a guess who's behind door number one?"

"Garcia," Rossi moaned. "We're kind of on a tight schedule here."

"Right, sorry," She announced, handing out a copy of the report to everyone. "I decided, since our unsub worked for one of the victims, I went looking through his past to find the right girl. Bridget Murphy, born Bridget O'Tanny, did in fact work for Professor Neilson two years ago in Dublin. Up until then, she was a Girl Scout, or the Irish equivalent. She was a great student, a smart girl. She had two masters and was working on a third."

"Kind of sounds like Reid." Morgan noted, flipping through the paper. "So what changed."

"I'm glad you asked that, Sweet Cheeks. What always changes people? She got married."

"That doesn't sound too severe." Riley replied.

"Well, it is when you marry you're sister's reject." Garcia corrected. "Apparently her late hubby and the current Mrs. Neilson were something of a item before he and our unsub hooked up. Until the day the sister left him at the altar."

"Oh," JJ cringed. "That hurts no matter what country you're from."

"Precisely, my angel. And it seemed his heart never quite healed. So much so, he tried to replace her with Bridget. But it just wasn't the same, I guess."

"What do you mean?" Hotch asked.

Garcia answered. "I mean, two years ago, Bridget married Logan Murphy and, according to the report from Scotland Yard itself... he committed suicide."

"Oh, God," Paul mumbled.

"On their wedding night." She continued.

The entire room gasped at that, looking to Garcia as if she were just kidding. Indeed, she was serious, and she further explained. "Apparently, he hanged himself in the bathroom... of the honeymoon suite at the Grislow, just before 8 pm."

"Well, that explains her hunting ground." Morgan cried, setting the report on the table. It was just too depressing.

"But that was two years ago." Rossi said. "The murders have only been happening for two months. What happened two months ago that set her off?"

"Her sister, perhaps?" Bradbury suggested. "When she get married?"

"Uh..." Garcia typed quickly into her computer, sifting through the results she'd found. "Just a few weeks agos... oh..."

"What?" Hotch asked.

"They were only engaged two months... according to a medical report, Sarah just started her second trimester."

"She's pregnant?" Eden cried. "And getting married? Now that has to be it."

"Bridget was definitely in love with her husband, it wasn't anything out of pity. I guess she just assumed if he married her, eventually he would love her more." Riley suggested. "I don't mean for this to sound rude, but... Sarah was a lot prettier than her sister. She was probably used to getting a lot more attention than Bridget. Pretty girls always seem to have it easier than us smart ones."

"And now she sees Sarah once again having the perfect life, everything she shouldn't have because she never worked for it." Hotch announced. "If we're right and she does see herself in the woman she kills... she probably wishes she killed herself the same night her husband did."

"She bludgeons the men because she's angry at her husband for abandoning her. He was her chance at a happy life and he ruined that." Eden added, right on track.

"But she only has Reid this time." JJ said. "How is that going to work?"

Everyone thought for a moment until finally, Rossi had an epiphany. "She's going to reenact her wedding night, only this time do it right. She's going to make Reid die the same way as her husband... and then kill herself along with him."

Riley was flabbergasted, staring stunned at the report in her hands. Trying to form words, she looked up at the others. "How is that even possible? I saw her, she's weak, and Spencer is much stronger than he looks, she's not going to make him hang himself! There's no way!"

"He's probably injured, Rye," Emily explained. "That's why she crashed the car. Maybe he can resist her for awhile, but... he's definitely subdued... and that's if he's not unconcious."

"And if she follows that timeline..." Hotch checked his watch, still on DC time. 12:05. "We have less than three hours to find him."

* * *

><p>AN: I'm sorry this took so long to post. I had the hardest time getting this file to open in order to finish writing the chapter and then the internet was messed up. But here it is, review! I love hearing what you guys think.


	29. Reid's Message

There wasn't much time. Bradbury and Hotch still had Criag Ellers in custody, it was best to start with him. Hopefully, he'd had some contact with Bridget over the last few months, and possibly some useful information.

While they questioned him, the others decided once again to dissect the profile, the better to assess their newly found unsub. "Bridget stuck to a comfort zone." Morgan said, leaning back in his chair as he studied the map, the geographical profile organized for all to see. "She wouldn't stray from that, it would destroy her entire MO. The entire world is chaos to her, these killings are what make her feel normal."

"Hmm," Emily folded her arms as she stood up. "So she has to be somewhere in this triangle. What about the Grislow itself? That would make the most sense, if she's reenacting her husband's suicide."

"That would be too much of a risk for her, I think." Rossi explained. "She's depressed, not delusional. Bridget knows this is wrong, but she still has to do it. And she can't chance getting caught until her work is finished."

"And she's out of her misery." JJ added.

"I think we also can rule out the other hotels, then." Morgan said. "All their staff is on alert. It's definitely someplace smaller, probably not typically used or even opened to the regular public."

"Does Bridget live in the area, Garcia?" Rossi wondered, looking to the girl typing on her laptop at the speed of light.

"Uh..." She quickly searched for the young lady's current residence. "No, sir... she lives in a boarding house on the outskirts of the city."

"She's pulled herself as far out of her hunting zone as possible." Emily announced. "That doesn't make any sense. Even if killers don't live in the area, they usually aren't too far from it. Why would she do that?"

"She told us she lived in Dublin." Riley voiced, remembering. "When she moved to London, she probably just took the first available home that she could afford."

"JJ," Rossi said, "Why don't you and Inspector Paul give the boarding house a call, try not to tell them too much about their interesting tenant. Just get any information you can on her... especially whether they've seen her today."

"Right away, sir." JJ said, standing up. Paul got up as well, allowing JJ out first before following. The rest of the team remained with Eden, continuing their work.

Morgan needed to be on his feet. Slowly, he began to pace the room and allowed his mind to wander off from the group, trying to put himself in the mindset of their killer.

"Okay..." He muttered. "I'm a young Irish woman who's been through the ringer. I've lost the love of my life, I basically have no future... I feel very lost, and have no idea how to feel normal."

"That would explain why she moved." Emily said. "She hoped a fresh start would change the outlook on her life."

"But why would she choose the city her husband died in?" Eden wondered. "Wouldn't this be the last place she'd want to move to?"

Rossi explained, "That's the problem, she's not sane. She felt herself attracted here. Had she moved to a completely different city, she might have had a better chance."

"The sister's happiness is the stresser. She's the reason Bridget's husband is dead, and it's like she's moving on as if she's in no way at fault." Morgan stated.

"She still loves her sister, though." Emily added. "That's why Sarah survived the attack, when she went to slice her throat..." Her hand reached to mimic the dragging of a blade across her skin, "she hesitated. If it had been a clean slice, Sarah would be dead. Her hands could have been shaking or she was just reluctant to hurt her own flesh and blood. In any case, it saved the artery."

"Right," Morgan agreed. "Now, the Reids have become her ideal couple. Unlike the other victims, they're unpredictable. She had their deaths planned out and they foiled her."

"That's why she kidnapped Reid." Rossi said. "There were probably signs all over the place their relationship wasn't happy, but Bridget was blind to it. In her eyes, his suicide was a completely spontaneous act. And therefore, Reid's unpreditablity by coming home early parrells him."

"This is all unspeakably fascinating," A very bitter Riley muttered, trying to fought off the developing stress migraine from her worry. "But it still doesn't tell us where this monster took Spencer. All we know is it's in her comfort zone."

The fingers on the keyboard slowed down to a quiet. "I hate to admit it, but it almost feels like the only person who can find him is-"

"Don't even say it, Garcia!" Riley snapped.

"We don't say that to be mean, Riley." Rossi spoke carefully, trying not to disturb her more. "It's just that Reid is the one who handles our geographical profile."

Riley's eyes were focused on the map. She'd been a part of this team before, she'd watched Spencer do this dozens of times. Maybe she wasn't as smart, maybe she wasn't as trained, but there had to be something in that area that would appeal to the unsub.

She looked around and finally met Eden's eyes. "You know the city pretty well. Did he say anything about street signs or... landmarks, anything that sparks a location in your mind."

"He knew if he said anything like that, Bridget would be suspicious." Eden explained. "I realize that's redudent because she knew anyway, but the fact of the matter is we still have nothing."

"Reid wouldn't do that!" Emily cried, looking from one person to another. "If Reid was in danger and he had a chance to get a message to us, even if he only had a few seconds he'd tell us something. Remember when he was being held by Henkle? He managed to tell us he was in a graveyard and because of that, we got to him in time. He gave us a message, I'm sure of it."

"Unfortunately, though, he was speaking to me. And I don't know him as well!" Eden yelled, looking angrily to Emily first and then to the rest of the team. "If he gave us a clue, I never caught it! We have no hope now."

The last eyes she found were Riley's once again. She felt sorry for treating the young officer so poorly. It wasn't her fault this happened, that they were involved in this. And she had been kind enough to tell her what Reid had said to her.

"Maybe there is and you don't realize it." Riley assured. Her eyes couldn't help but travel up to the clock. They'd already wasted forty five minutes, but there was no other choice. "Let's sit down and calmly go over, second by second, the conversation you had with Spencer. Starting from the minute you took my phone."

Eden complied, taking a seat beside Emily. Riley moved so she could be closer to them. Garcia and the men continued working quietly so as not to disturb them. It was hard to continue the search though, not wanting to accept the fact they had nothing.

* * *

><p>The only window was barred shut. Just as well, it didn't look big enough for Reid to pull himself out. Sarah maybe, she was considerably smaller, but even if it were opened, he didn't want to make her. She was weak and injured and looked so tired... honestly, she looked how he felt at the moment.<p>

The rest of the basement consisted of stacks of shelves. Different types of medical supplies and equipment was stored down here. A long line of rope was tied to the one of the rafters, but it appeared to serve no real purpose.

"There's a hatch on that side of the basement." Reid said as he reclaimed his seat next to Sarah after fifteen minutes of investigating. Bridget had yet to return and he took the opportunity to explore the area. He knew before he started, however, that she wouldn't have left a chance for them to escape. She would have blocked every available exit.

"Is it locked?" Sarah wondered, pulling herself up a bit.

"I don't know yet, it's too high for me to reach." He explained. Even talking was taking a mental effort his throbbing head couldn't take. "If I can... muster the strength, I might be able to stack some crates to get high enough."

Among the echo, the click of a door lock was heard. A wave of light from the otherside washed over them in the dimness, blinding Reid for a moment. He moaned in his agony, feeling the pulse pound like a mallet against his brain. He tried not to show his torment, but it was difficult.

The light disappeared again, and Bridget soon reappeared. "Sorry, I'm late." She said pleasantly. "I just need to prepare our plates. Dinner will be served in a moment."

"I'm not hungry." Reid informed.

"Neither am I." Sarah agreed.

She leaned down to put her arm around her sister. "You need to eat. You're eating for two, remember?"

Reid was startled for a moment, but suddenly realized her determination to get out. "You're pregnant?"

Sarah looked at him sadly. Saving her voice, she gave a nod. He had to get her out of here. He couldn't be responsible for two innocent lives being lost. Turning to Bridget, he gave a glare. "And what do you care how much she eats if you're just going to kill her?"

Surprised, "You misunderstand. I'm not going to kill my baby sister. I don't need to anymore. After tonight, it will all be over. We'll be together, forever, just as it should be."

He wasn't sure if it was the situation or his injury that made him so confused. He couldn't figure why she would want her sister here if she wasn't planning to kill her. And he didn't believe she was talking about him, being together. It had to be a reference to her husband.

Reid kept silent as she started pulling items out of one of the bags. From the tell-tale cartons, he could see it was take-out food. Preparing the plates in front of them proved she had no intention of poisoning him. This was getting steadily more complicated by each passing moment.

The best idea would be to think of a plan, to try and find a way to take her down or get away. But with no visible path to get out, that wasn't possible. And if he could subdue her for a moment, Sarah was much too weak to get them help. All he could do was distract her... perhaps that way, he could find a way to appeal to her. It was a long shot, but if his life was on the line, anything was worth a try.

"How long had you been planning to attack me and my wife?" He questioned. He curiously watched the dinners prepared. It seemed much too fancy to just be some quick fast food. Those entrees had to be pre-ordered, meaning she'd been planning this for awhile.

Luckily, she sensed no ulterior motives to his interrogation. "Since the day we met." She replied. "When the two of you came to question my sister... I had seen you at the hotel, but I'd never seen your wife."

"When did you see me?" Reid wondered, slightly panicked. He had never felt so exposed, despite the previous times both he and Riley had been stalked.

She looked up from her work, her eyes tearing as she stared at him. "You didn't see me once. You never noticed me... I saw you leave the managers office that day, with that other woman. You didn't even see... no one ever sees."

As she spoke, Reid remembered. The other day when Reid and Eden came to question Marcy Lemon... her strawberry blonde hair stuck out in his mind. It was loose that day, but it was her in that maid's outfit... pulling items out of the closet.

"It didn't look like you were listening." He stated.

"No one ever suspects I'm listening," She muttered, a tear dropping from her eye. "No one ever realizes I'm there. Do you know I've been working at the Grislow since I moved to London... and not one of them know my name. They still have to look at my nametag."

"But you don't work at the Grislow." He cried. Reid was sure, he'd been studying the hotel for days. He would have remembered her name.

"Does it really matter now?" She asked kindly, like a mother wanting her child to stop bickering so they could have a nice meal. She tried to hand a plate to Reid, but he refused to take it. Just the sight of food was increasing his nausea.

"I can't eat that." He said, shaking his head and closing his eyes. The smell was churning his stomach. He was definitely going to be sick again.

"But it's delicious." Bridget informed. She set the plate down and took Sarah's, offering it to her. Reid watched her expression, looking over the food carefully.

"This... is your wedding dinner..." Sarah heaved.

Bridget smiled. "You remembered." She gave Sarah a fork, expecting her to dig in. When she didn't, Bridget gave a scowl. "Why doesn't anyone want to eat?"

"We need something to drink." Reid informed. "Did you bring anything?"

"Champagne." She answered, as if it were obvious.

"Bridget, Sarah's pregnant. She can't have alcohol." Reid said quickly. "You need to get her some water. And without water, she can't eat."

"Oh," She thought, "There's a spicket outside at the top of the stairs. I'll be back in five minutes."

Five minutes was a lot of time when your life was on the line. Bridget stood, searching around for a moment, and finally spotted an almost empty jug. The familiar yellowish substance lingered at the bottom. Of course, she didn't bother to empty it. Quickly, she made her way to the door, leaving Reid and Sarah alone.

"Her wedding dinner," Reid repeated. "Why is that significant?"

"Her husband... killed himself... on their wedding night." Sarah said. "Anything that... reminds her of weddings... she basically goes mental... She didn't... even come to mine."

It all made sense to Reid, though that wasn't particularly good news. "How did her husband die?"

"Hanging," She whispered.

The effort of talking was wearing on her and Reid gave her a rest. He'd gotten all he needed to know. It explained the freelance rope in the rafters. How Bridget was going to get him to hang himself was quite simple. At the moment, he felt horrible and would comply to almost anything to avoid confrontation and further struggle. Resistance just made the pain worse. In another hour or so, when his concussion reached new peaks, he'd be practically hypnotized by the pain. He'd follow her every command.

Checking in the distance, there was no sign of Bridget's return. He might only have one more chance. Quickly, Reid stood and grabbed the closest crate. His legs felt like pudding as he tried to hurry. He set the crate below the hatch and rushed back to grab another.

Sarah watched with interest, and Reid noticed as he returned for a third that she was shivering. He had to get her out of here; she needed help more than he did. Three crates was enough, he could reach the handle now. He began to climb up, feeling even more unstable than on his own two feet.

Just as he was about to stand up straight and reach for the handle, the door opened again. He heard Sarah's hoarse gasp and he quickly climbed down. He dashed back to his spot next to her, relaxing against the remaining crates. Hopefully, she wouldn't spot any missing.

He tried to ease his breathing before Bridget returned. His brow was covered in sweat and all this running had made him dizzy. He wanted to lie down, but was too afraid he'd fall asleep if he did.

Bridget poured a glass of disgusting brown water into a glass and handed it to her sister. "Here, now eat up."

Sarah wasn't hungry, and there was no way she was drinking that water. Just like Reid, she ignored her dinner. It seemed the only person interested in eating was their captor.

Reid watched her interestedly. He was mesmerized to know what made this woman tick, to what had lead her to this path of self destruction. One question in particular weighed on his mind; the same one he'd had since he sat in the waiting room in the wee hours of the morning, desperate to hear Riley was okay.

"Why me?" He finally voiced.

In mid-chew, Bridget looked up to Reid. Her head tilted as she observed him, like she were expecting him to be joking.

"What do you mean?" She asked after she swallowed.

He took a deep breath, hesitating. These words had to come out right, and thinking was unbelievably exhausting right now. "You went after alpha males... you chose them because they reminded you of your husband, and it angered you because he abandoned you. Because he didn't love you as much as he loved Sarah."

"I don't want to talk about him." Bridget muttered sadly. She gave a glare to her sister. "And I certainly don't want to talk about what she did to him."

"I just want to know why me? Why my wife? I'm not an alpha, Bridget, anyone can see that. I don't understand why you wanted to kill us. What made us so special to you?"

Her confusion morphed into pure disgust, staring at Reid like he was some ugly insect with no real purpose in the ecosystem. It seemed to rob her of her appetite. Bridget snatched Reid's plate away and took Sarah's as well, stacking them as she stood up.

"I talked to your wife." She said bitterly, her lip trembling as she looked at him. "Don't you see the way she looks at you? The way she acts around you..." She stared down at him, her eyes cold and narrowed, "Maybe I misjudged you... you don't deserve to be in love. That girl's better off without you."

And with that, she hurried off to another space in the basement. Out of sight. Reid had no idea what she meant by that, and was left even more confused and downtrodden then before.

* * *

><p>Hotch and Bradbury finally returned. From their demeanor, the others suspected their questioning had been successful.<p>

"Well, it seems our young Mr. Ellers did not know Bridget Murphy by name." Bradbury told the group. "But, he did recognize her by the photo."

"All he said was she was a maid at the Grislow." Hotch explained. "She wasn't very talkative, a little shy, usually did housekeeping, but she also served with him in the restaurant sometimes when they were short staffed"

"I can't believe no one realized she didn't actually work there." Emily mentioned. "It just goes to show you how self involved some people are, and don't realize what's going on around them."

Hotch continued. "Yes, well, when she did talk to Ellers... she was very interested in his job."

"How so?" Morgan asked.

"Ellers said she often would question who he'd delivered. What the guests were like, were they kind, were they distracted." Hotch explained. "A lot of unneccesary questions about the patrons."

"And that didn't send up any red flags?" Garcia wondered.

"It's apparently pretty common. Everyone's always looking for juicy gossip to spread around the hotel, especially about the guests." Bradbury clarified.

"No one would suspect Bridget had a homicidal agenda." Hotch added.

"It's no wonder she found out about all these couples." Rossi said. "People in the background always hear the rumors spreading around. And when they're in Bridget's state, they use it to their advantage."

"It explains all the complaints Spencer was researching." Riley stated, looking up from her work with Eden. "Remember, most were about the restuarant. We don't know the details, but I bet any amount of money it had something to do with her."

"You've got a point there, Parker." Morgan agreed.

At that, JJ and Paul came in. "Well, we just got off the phone with Lenore Brunswick. She's the landlady at the boarding house Bridget lives."

"And?" Bradbury pressed.

"Well it seems Mrs. Murphy is not a well liked resident in her home." Paul explained. "She is a model tenant, always pays her rent on time, follows the rules... but she has a strange obession."

"Yeah, murder." Morgan joked.

"Close, death." JJ corrected. "When she does converse with the other tenants, at dinner or in the sitting room, it's almost all she talks about. She says her reasoning is she used to work for an anthropology professor... but her interests don't seem very academic."

"So the urges were definitely there before the stresser hit." Hotch nodded.

Eden suddenly gasped. "Wait a minute... she's obessed with death, of course!"

"What is it?" Riley asked.

Reid's words floated to surface in her mind. There's a lot places I'm seeing that I never planned to visit. "I think they're at the morgue."

"You hear death and you automatically think 'morgue', Evie?" Paul asked.

Just then, Bradbury's phone went off. Without a word, he stepped out to answer it. "No... the first place Reid and I went together was the morgue. I was a little... nasty with him, feeling like he was infringing on our territory. I made a joke that noted he probably wouldn't even see the morgue otherwise. You must admit, it's not on a typical tourist's itinerary."

"True," Hotch muttered, waiting for her to get to the point.

"When we spoke on the phone, Reid reminded me of that. I can't believe I didn't notice it. If they're not at the morgue, they have to be somewhere close by."

Morgan looked in the comfort zone, scanning each area quickly. His jaw fell slightly as his eyes landed on a tiny building close to the center. "It is within her area."

"Guys," Garcia announced, "I'm running a search on the area... apparently a car accident was reported near there recently. The victims fled the scene."

"Does the car match Bridget's?" Morgan questioned.

After a few seconds. "It was originally registered by a Logan Murphy."

"Her late husband!" Eden exclaimed.

Hotch immediately took control of the situation. "Okay, Bradbury, Rossi, and I will investigate the car wreck. The other inspectors, Prentiss, and Morgan head to the morgue. See if you can investigate the building and around the area."

"My friend is the coroner, he'll have no problem letting us look around." Eden explained. "I'll ring him on the way."

At that, Bradbury returned. "I just got a call from Marbury Hospital. The nurses just reported Sarah Neilson missing."

"Oh my God," JJ exclaimed.

"Bridget must have her, too." Rossi stated. "We'd better get going, we've got an hour and a half left on the clock."

Riley felt so useless. Almost everyone was hurrying off to find her husband, and all she was doing was sitting here. She wanted to run out and comb every possible place in order to find him.

"Hey," Emily said, brushing her arm. "It's going to be alright. We're headed in the right direction, I'm sure of it."

She nodded, her chest feeling tight with anxiety. "I wish there was more I could do."

"Riley, we wouldn't have gotten here if it weren't for you." She said with a reaffirming smile. "Reid is going to be so proud of you. We will get him back, I promise."

Riley had complete trust in this team. They cared for Spencer almost as much as she did, and she knew neither of them would be alive today if it weren't for these people.

"Just... tell him I love him. Okay?"

"I will." Emily promised. She gave her a quick hug and rushed to catch up with the others. Riley watched her leave. JJ and Garcia watched her tentatively, hoping they could get her through this without completely losing her mind.

"Riley?" JJ said softly. "Can we get you anything? Some tea?"

She shook her head, trying to hold back her tears. She already felt like her love was gone.

"We could take you back to the hotel if you don't feel well." Garcia suggested.

"No," She mumbled. "I want to be here. It's the least I can do."

JJ helped her into a seat, and Garcia moved so she could be closer to her. They both were very supportive and caring, but even though they were right by her side... Riley had never felt so alone.


	30. The Only Way

_He wasn't so sure about this tuxedo. He always felt so out of place when he wore one, and now he was supposed to stand up in front of his friends and family and several prominent members of the FBI looking like some outdated figurine._

_"I hate to say it," Morgan mentioned, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, "but you clean up nice, kid."_

_"I guess." He grumbled, trying to smooth out the wrinkles as he stood before the mirror. His one hand went up to his lengthy chestnut tendrils. "Maybe I should have gotten a hair cut."_

_"Reid, you don't need to be so worried." Hotch mentioned, relaxing on one of the couches. He, at least, got to wear a less formal suit. "It's a wedding, people are typically more focused on the bride. The only person who's really going to be concerned with how you look is already in love with you."_

_"I guess that's true," He whined slightly. Giving up on his appearance, he went to take the seat on the sofa across from Hotch. "I'd rather have her opinion, though. It's stupid I can't see her."_

_"It's tradition, Reid." Morgan mentioned, going to check his own appearance in the mirror. "You can't see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding, it's bad luck."_

_"You know, Morgan, Riley and I have enough bad luck without giving in to stupid superstitions." He snapped, taking both the men in the room by surprise._

_As the shock of his outburst settled, Hotch asked, "Reid, are you alright?"_

_He couldn't sit here, his nerves were getting to him. Reid stood up and began to pace the room. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm just... tense, I guess. I don't know why."_

_Hotch replied. "If you didn't, Reid, there would be something wrong."_

_"It's not easy to feel normal in this monkey suit, anyway." Morgan added as he adjusted his tie. "Why do they call it a monkey suit, anyway?"_

_"Traditionally, in the 1800s, this was the typical outfit of organ grinder monkeys." Reid explained without missing a beat._

_Morgan looked his shoulder at Hotch who shrugged. "You had to ask."_

_With a roll of his eyes, Morgan replied. "Obviously he can't be that terrified."_

_"Twenty minutes, Reid," Hotch assured, "You just have twenty more minutes and then you can head down to the ceremony, so just try to relax."_

_Taking a deep breathe, Reid tried to lower his blood pressure. Something must be wrong with him if he felt this much anxiety. What was there to be nervous about, that he would embarrass himself and Riley? They'd been through the rehearsal, he knew his vows by heart, he didn't have a doubt in his mind he wanted to marry her, he couldn't fathom why he should be so antsy. He was grateful Riley didn't know he was feeling this way... she'd probably feel ashamed and start second guessing the whole thing._

_A knock on the door surprised them. "Come in," Hotch called, allowing their visitor to enter. At once, the door opened and JJ stepped in, wearing a long dark red dress and her blonde hair pulled back._

_"Hey," She said smiling, "Is Will here, I found his cufflinks."_

_"He took Henry to the restroom. Don't worry, Rossi's watching Joey." Hotch explained._

_"Great, who's watching Rossi?" JJ joked. "Can you guys give these to Will when he gets back?"_

_"No problem," Morgan said, accepting the two gold pieces from her._

_JJ looked Morgan over and nodded with approval. "Wow," She said, turning to Reid. "You boys look really great."_

_"Thanks," Reid muttered, blushing a little bit. "Um... how's Riley?"_

_"She's just about ready and she looks beautiful." JJ revealed. "She's kind of anxious, though. She can't sit still and she keeps knocking things over. But don't worry, we're taking care of her."_

_Just hearing that, he forgot about his stomach churning nerves. Reid breathed much more easily and his throat didn't feel quite so dry. If he needed anymore proof that he was supposed to be with this woman, he just found it._

_"See, Reid, looks like you're not the only one." Morgan noted._

_"Well, Riley keeps assuring us that anxiety is a natural emotional response when a person is about to make a major lifestyle change, and if she didn't feel this way, there would be something mentally wrong." JJ added with a slight roll of her eyes._

_Morgan looked to the the young groom with a such a serious expression. "Reid, don't ever let her go. There will never be another woman who relates to you like that."_

_"Believe me," Reid shook his head. He couldn't stop smiling. "I know."_

_"It won't be long now," JJ assured, stepping forward to embrace her friend. "If I don't get to say it later... I'm so happy for you, Spence."_

_"Thanks, JJ," He replied, hugging her warmly._

_As he began to pull away, JJ gripped his arms to keep him close. Standing on the tiptoes of her heels, she leaned into his ear. "Just wait until you see her," She whispered._

_She flashed him a significant smile and pulled away. "I'd better get back." She said, heading to door._

_"I'll walk with you, it's about time I get over there." Hotch said, standing up. "Morgan, I trust you'll get him down to the hall in one piece?"_

_"I haven't killed him yet, I think I can last another twenty minutes." He agreed. The two stepped out of the room, the door closing softly. Looking up, Morgan looked to Reid again. "Seriously, though, kid, are you okay? Are you going to make it through this?"_

_"Oh, yeah... definitely." He said with certainty. He may have been terrified of appearing as a fool in front of everyone he knew, but it didn't matter. For her... he could do anything._

"Dr. Reid," A raspy voice called as Reid felt himself shaking. "Dr. Reid... you need to stay... awake."

Blinking rapidly, Reid pulled himself from the half sleep he found himself in. He must have drifted off by accident. It was getting harder and harder to keep conscious. He was so exhausted and dizzy. Even if he could keep from falling asleep, he wasn't sure he'd have the strength to get both he and Sarah to safety. And that was if the opportunity arrived.

"Sorry," He muttered. He went to rub the exhaustion out of his eyes, but that only made his head hurt more. All he wanted was to fall back into that dream and relive the greatest day of his life again, over and over for eternity.

Sarah inched herself closer, her bare legs right against the icy concrete floor. "How are we going... to get out of here?"

"I don't know," Reid said again. "Bridget doesn't seem to be giving us much freedom... I don't know what she's waiting for, but she must have a reason why she's dragging this out." He glanced around, but there wasn't a sign of their captor anywhere. "Where is she?"

"Over there," She pointed. "I can't see what she's doing."

Reid thought for a moment. Bridget hadn't noticed the stack of crates he created below the hatch, over on the fall wall close to the corner. The handle looked old and rusty, it might not even open. But if it did... Reid was confident he could reach it.

What they needed was for her to leave again. Even if it was just for ten minutes. That should give him enough time to get them out, both of them. The problem was convincing her to step out. Obviously Bridget wasn't just going to grant them that request. There had to be a specific reason for her to leave... and what better reason was there than an emergency?

"I think, if one of us was hurt..." Reid said slowly,l the idea inching into his mind. He thought his brain was literally going to erupt in his skull and ooze out his ear if he kept thinking so much. "Then... she'd be forced to get some kind of medical help or supplies."

"But you are physically hurt." Sarah whispered. Her hand reached up to brush against his bruise gently. Reid winced. Even at the slightest touch, it was unbearable. "And trust me... it's getting worse."

"That's the thing," He continued. "If I'm hurt, Bridget's not going to care. She's going to kill me anyway, anything short of a premature death is not going to disrupt her plans. And that only leaves us... one option."

It took a few moments for Sarah to realize what he meant. The truth began to sink in and Sarah backed away from him slightly. "You want to injure... me?"

"I can't force you to do it." Reid said at once. "I would never dream of putting an innocent person through that kind of pain or using her as bait... but we're out of options. We just need her to disappear for a little while, just enough for us to get out of that hatch up there."

He pointed to the red, rusted door on the ceiling. The handle dangled tantilizingly above them. She stared at it for a long time, her eyes glistening a bit. "Are you certain... there's no other way?"

"Only the door Bridget goes in and out of, and we can't disappear fast enough out there. We're both sick, she'll take us down and drag us back here easily. Maybe there's another door somewhere down here, but I didn't see one and we won't have time to look."

Again, Sarah hesitated. The fear of pain was standing in their way of freedom. Reid lurched forward, grabbing her hand. "I promise, when we get out of here, I will get you back to a hospital. Everything will be fine. But we can't just sit here and wait and hope we'll be saved. You're going to have a baby, I have a wife. We both have reasons to live... just being alive is a reason to live. And that's why we can't give up yet. Please, Sarah... will you do this?"

He watched as Sarah's delicate hand landed on her stomach, stroking it softly. She'd already lost her husband. This baby was all she had left and it was completely dependent on her. After a moment, she looked up and met his eyes. "What are we going to do?"

Quickly, Reid scanned the area. "Wait here," he said, and got on his feet. Shakily, he headed over to the supply shelves.

Listening carefully, he waited for some sign Bridget was about to return to the group. The hustle and bustle of her work echoed in the huge space, giving Reid plenty of knowledge of her whereabouts. But, by the same rule, if he made too much noise, she would hear and come over to see. He didn't know what she'd do, but he couldn't risk her finding out regardless. Carefully, he began looking over the boxes and containers on the shelves, looking for a specific instrument.

There were several jugs of formaldehyde, which he eased aside with caution. The last thing he needed was for one of those to break. None of the packages he looked over were any help: evidence bags, rubber gloves, trays and pans for varying autopsy work. Nothing much for bandaging and medical treatment. Excellent, it was exactly what he was hoping for.

The first two shelves gave him nothing. Luckily, Bridget was still unwise to their activities and Reid kept searching. He carefully squatted to look at the bottom shelf. The change in height altered the pressure on his head. He almost vomitted right there, gripping the metal of the structure to keep him steady. The wave of nausea lingered for long, agonizing moment until it finally passed. He continued his search... and at last, there it was.

With ginger fingers, Reid took alarge tupperware box and attempted to open it. It gave a snap as the pressure released itself from lid to tub and he froze. He listened, waiting. Silence rang throughout the entire basement for what seemed like an hour. But at last, Bridget, satisfied her victims were behaving, went on with her mission. With a sigh of relief, Reid set aside the lid and smiled at the contents inside. Just as he suspected.

Thousands of different metal instruments shined in the flourescent lights. Each one holding a different purpose for the autopsy process. Delicately, he reached into the tools and quietly searched through each one, soon spotting a scalpel. His hand held it cautiously and set the rest of the tub aside.

Sarah's eyes looked apprehensively at the instrument in his hand as he hurried back over. "Don't worry," He said, though he knew she'd find no comfort in his words. "I'm just going to cut your leg a little. It won't be too deep."

Her breathing got rather rapid and harsh. It must have been sore on her injured throat. Reid's free hand rested on her red hair, stroking it gently down the side of her face. "Remember who you're doing this for."

Swallowing her fear, Sarah nodded. Reid listened, hoping Bridget still had a bit of work to do over in her section. "Lie down," He ordered.

Doing as she was told, Bridget moved to pile of blankets. Reid couldn't risk blood appearing on those sheets. It would give them away. Quickly, he removed his sweater vest and adjusted it under the targeted leg.

A second thought struck him and Reid pulled off his tie as well. "Bite down on this." He ordered, putting it between her teeth.

"Now, I know you can't make much noise." He said as she situated herself. He could feel his heart rate speed up, unwilling to do this. "But you still have to try to be as quiet as you can. Okay?"

Tears were welling in her eyes, but Sarah nodded. Reid could feel his own tears forming, looking at the leg he intended to strike. It was elegant and slender. Not quite as alluring as Rileys, but still smooth and unscarred. She was going to carry this memory forever... all because of him. Reid almost backed out at that moment.

He met Sarah's eyes again, looking to him with determination. She gave another nod and Reid knew he had to be strong if only for her. A tear leaked out as he positioned the scalpel right against her flesh.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. And at that, he pressed down.

* * *

><p><em>She kept tossing and turning. It didn't matter how often Reid was out of town, Riley could never get used to sleeping alone. Besides, her stomach felt very unsettled from her growing nerves, knowing that this time tomorrow she was going to be a married woman.<em>

_After midnight, she managed to fall into a light sleep. It helped moving to his side of the bed, breathing in the scent infused in his pillow. It was just one night. Tomorrow, she'd be back in his arms... and they would be together for the rest of their lives._

_She wasn't sure how long she was asleep before she was awaken by her phone. Riley moaned a bit, trying to rise herself awake. Her cell phone was buzzing on her bedside table. By the alarm clock, she could see it was almost five._

_Reaching into the darkness, Riley grabbed her phone, flipping it open without even bothering to check the ID. "Hello?" She groggily mumbled._

_"Hello, ma'am, you don't know me, but I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to marry me today." The familiar voice said on the other end._

_Riley rested her head against her pillow, closing her eyes as she smiled. "Hmm, I don't know... I'm supposed to marry this other guy today... but I'm not so sure. He's kind of know-it-all. Just because he has an IQ of 187, he thinks he's some kind of genius or something."_

_"How awful, a beautiful woman like you shouldn't be stuck with someone like that." He teased and she was sure he was smiling. "You should marry me instead."_

_"No thanks," She said softly, "I have to marry him. I love him too much and I can't live without him."_

_There was a long pause on the other end. "Good to know." He replied._

_She uttered a light chuckle, rolling onto her side. "So what are you doing up this early, Brainiac?"_

_"I can't sleep." Reid answered. "Morgan's couch is too lumpy... and I miss you."_

_"I miss you, too." Riley said. "It's silly, we've only been apart for two days and I think I miss you more than when you're on a case for a week. I don't get it."_

_"It's the anticipation." He explained. "Awaiting a big event can increase separation anxiety between two people."_

_She couldn't help but giggle. "See, that's why I'm marrying you. You help me to understand human psychology so much better then med school ever did."_

_"I hope that's not the only reason." He stated._

_"Of course not... there are a thousand reasons... and when you add them all up, it means we're meant to be together."_

_Reid wondered. They had never actually discussed this subject. "Do you really believe in Fate?"_

_"I didn't before you." Riley answered, so seriously and clearly, it couldn't be denied. "After everything we've been, everything we've endured, we're still here and we're together. No matter what happened, we always found our way back to each other... you don't think some outside force has something to do with it?"_

_"Well, if there is, I'm grateful it brought me to you." He said. "Just think, in twelve hours... we're going to be husband and wife."_

_Her smile turned so bright at that, she was certain her fiance could hear it on the other end. "I can't wait. I'm going to make you so happy, Spencer Reid."_

_"You already do, Riley Parker," He assured. "I'll let you go back to sleep. You need your rest... I suspect you're not going to get much tonight."_

_"I certainly hope so." Riley smiled. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too. I'll see you this afternoon."_

_"See you then," She muttered and slowly hung up the phone. Riley set it back on her table and snuggled under her covers again. It was little time before she drifted off into a much more restful sleep._

Riley wasn't saying anything. All she could do was stare at that map of London, trying to ignore how badly her hands were shaking. She was desperate for her phone to ring, for someone to give her news that Spencer was alive. She wanted to hear his voice, to feel his long arms wrap around her from behind and enclose her like he was protecting her from the all the evil in the world.

She couldn't stop thinking about their phone conversation the morning of the wedding. He must have been thinking of it, too, when he gave that message... that he would always find his way back to her. Maybe there wasn't such a thing as Fate, and they had just been lucky all the times before. They got to have one perfect day together and now it was over... and they were never supposed to have happiness again.

"Are you okay, Riley?" Garcia wondered, breaking the silence.

She rolled her eyes. "No... I am not all right. That's a stupid question!"

Both the girls were very taken aback by her outburst. Riley regretted it as soon as it came out. She leaned forward, resting her brow against her palms. "I'm sorry... I just want my husband back."

"I'm sure we'll hear something soon." JJ assured, patting her arm.

She sat back up again, folding her arms. "I can't stand just sitting here... waiting. I feel like we should be doing something, that we should be out there looking for him!"

"There's nothing we can do, Sweetie." Garcia cried. "Believe us, we've been through this before, including with Reid. I think this is the third time he's gone missing... and it sucks big time... but there's nothing else we can do."

JJ added. "I deal with so many families who feel the same way you do. They want to get into a car and drive and search until they've lost every once of energy because they feel like they don't care otherwise. But that doesn't do any good. The team is going to find them, you know they're the best."

"I know..." She shook her head. "I just feel so useless. When I was missing, Spencer was working, he was out there looking for me. It makes me feel like I don't love him as much."

She closed her eyes as a fresh wave of tears claimed her. Her one hand came up to shield her eyes. Garcia reached over to put her arm around her, comforting the poor young bride.

All other sounds were extinguished as JJ's cell phone began to buzz. Both Garcia and Riley looked over in terror, staring at the device. Keeping calm, JJ picked up the phone and lifted it to read the name.

"It's Hotch," She cried, standing up. "I'm going to take this in the other room, I'll be right back."

Riley didn't protest, more tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt Garcia take her hand and she clutched it in a vice grip, praying to whatever force in the universe was listening that the call was good news.

* * *

><p>Sarah's brow was covered in sweat and she was sniffling back some tears. Reid looked sorrowfully at the work he'd done, the blood seeping from the gash on her leg. He'd never been so disgusted with himself. How so many people in the world could actually take pleasure in this was beyond him.<p>

"Are you okay?" He whispered, catching her eye.

Sarah nodded, taking a deep breath. "It's not... so bad..."

"We don't have much time, we need to move." Reid said. He grabbed his sweater and wrapped the scalpel in it, setting it out of sight. Once it was safe, he reached over and carefully lifted Sarah into his arms.

He paused for a moment as this lifting her brought a new rush of nausea. He gagged for a moment, fighting the forces back into his stomach.

"Are you all right?" Sarah hissed.

It took a second or two to get back on solid ground. "I'm fine," He avowed and with that carried her over, keeping a close eye for Bridget.

"What... are you... doing?" She asked. With the new cut on her leg, she was losing more and more energy. Reid just hoped she had enough left in her to climb out of here.

At the end of the room, Reid spotted the door. Several sets of crates sat around more shelves. Perfect. Bringing her over, Reid gently lay Sarah onto the floor. "Lay on your side." He ordered, easing her out of his arms. "Whatever I say, just play along."

Sarah nodded again. Before Reid could step away again, she grabbed his wrist. Her eyes were so frightened; she was shivering and Reid suspected it wasn't just from the cold. He rested his hand on her icy fingers.

"This will work." He whispered with confidence. He may have been doubtful, but she didn't need to know that. "I promise... I'm going to get you out of here."

One thing Reid could never figure out was his ability to appeal to the victims, especially women and children. He was kind and gentle, people had a tendecy to trust in him. Sarah was not immune to his charms, either, and felt rejuvenated by his words.

"Okay," Reid stood up, checking one more time to make sure they were alone. The coast was clear, and Reid hurried to adjust the crates. Sarah watched with interest as he arranged them just so.

This was it, it was now or never. If Reid couldn't get them out... they never would. Gathering his composure he took one more breath and struck.

A loud crash sounded through the basement. Without missing a beat, Reid threw himself to the floor next to Sarah. He cringed at the throbbing pain in his head, but with any luck he and Sarah would be on their way to safety within a few minutes. He leaned against his arm, forcing his drowsy eyes to stay open as Bridget hurried to the scene.

"What the bloody hell is going on here!" She cried, rushing to the couple on the floor. "What on Earth do you think you're doing!"

"Nothing," Reid grumbled as she tried to pull him up. He wrenched himself away from her grip, not wanting her grubby paws to touch him.

Bridget scowled at him before looking up to the end of the room. Just twenty feet away stood the door. She gasped, piecing the scene together.

"You were trying to escape, weren't you?" She snarled. "You slimey little git, I can't believe you!"

"You have no right to keep us here, Bridget." Reid grumbled as he struggled to pull himself into a seated position. "We're hurt, we're sick, we have reasons to live and so do you."

"I have nothing to live for!" She screeched, going to help Sarah. "Don't you see, Dr. Reid, I have to do this. I can't live with this pain anymore. I should have done this all along... if I knew then what I knew now..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I suppose I'll have to keep my eyes on both of you for the rest of the night!"

As she pulled Sarah to her feet, the girl moaned from the pain, stumbling a bit. She clutched onto her sister to remain upright. "What's wrong, Sarah?" Bridget asked, looking to her with worry.

"My... leg..." she breathed, wincing again from the pain.

Curious, Bridget looked down. For a second time she gasped, spotting the damage. "Oh, my..." She exclaimed, looking it over. "It looks rather deep."

Reid felt a great twinge of guilt at that. If only there had been another way. Bridget's cold eyes came up, bringing Reid into her deadly sights. "You did this to her! You were so determined to go back to your life and woman, neither of which you deserve, and in the process, you hurt my sister."

"Then I guess you and I have something in common." He quipped.

With a glare, she looked back at the leg. "Oh, that does look awful. We best clean and wrap that so you don't catch an infection. I suppose I can cut up one of the sheets."

"That's not a proper bandage, Bridget." Reid at last managed to get on his feet, standing up straight. "She needs disinfectant and gauze and a bandage wrap. You need to get those things for her."

"And give you another chance to escape?" She flashed a pair of dangerous green eyes at her.

"I don't have any energy in me to escape again." Reid mumbled, closing his eyes as another shot of pain washed over his skull. "If you don't believe me, then fine, lock the door."

She considered that, looking from Reid to the door and back several times. "There is no other way out of here... but I still don't know."

"If you love your sister and you want her to live, this is the least you can do." He informed, attempting to get under her skin.

She glared at him again. "I almost felt sorry before that I had to kill you... now I'm going to enjoy watching you hang."

Reid felt a shudder at that, but didn't give her the satisfaction by letting her see. "Very well, I'll get the supplies. But you're to stay over there in your area and be there when I get back or you're going to be sorry."

It perplexed him to think what worse she could do to them, but Reid chose not to ask. The sooner she left, they sooner they could climb out.

"Thank you... Bridget..." Sarah exhaled, still leaning on her.

Bridget leaned over and kissed her sister on the forehead. She guided Sarah into Reid's arms, "Take her back to her bed. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

They agreed and began their unsteady journey over to the makeshift bed. Bridget wouldn't take her eyes off them until she saw them settle down. Exhausted, Reid leaned his head against the crates again, closing his eyes, willing himself to stay away. Just a little bit longer, a little longer and they were free.

"Don't try anything." She demanded, and headed to the door.

It opened and brought in a flood of light again. Within a few moments, it closed and the lock sounded. She must have some kind of key.

Reid opened his eyes to see Sarah's bright eyes smiling at him. "Did I do alright?"

"Sarah, you were absolutely brilliant." He grinned, fighting himself to get back to his feet. "Now, we don't have much time. Let's get out of here."


	31. Too Late

JJ braced herself as she answered the phone. All she wanted was to hear that Reid was okay, that he was on the way back with the others or on the way to the hospital. But good or bad, she couldn't let herself get emotional. Letting out a slow breath, she forced all her hopes and expectations into the pit of her stomach. Alone now, she answered, "JJ."

"How's it going there?" Hotch asked. She knew that tone all too well, and he wasn't pleased with the results of the investigation.

"About what you'd expect. Riley's a mess and there's nothing any of us can do, so we're on edge." JJ explained. "Did you guys find anything?"

"There's not much evidence." He informed. "It was definitely self inflicted, as the voicemail implied. The passenger side has the most damage."

"So Reid's definitely going to need some medical help." She specified.

Hotch replied. "I'd say so if I had to make an educated guess, although there doesn't appear to be any blood inside the car. Whatever injuries he has, at least he's not bleeding profusely." There was a pause as he considered what else they found. "The phone was destroyed, as we thought. There are pieces of it on the seat, probably when he climbed out."

"Is that all, sir?" JJ wondered, begging for something more. She felt like a child on Christmas, just making sure there were no more presents to open.

He hesitated. Even over the phone, JJ could tell he was holding something back. "There was... one more thing, but I'm not sure it's anything important."

"What?" She questioned desperately.

"A ring of keys." He explained. "There's a lot on here, kind of like a janitor's set, though not as big. They must belong to Bridget."

"What does she need with so many keys?" She asked, curious.

"My assumption would be in order to get into all the hotels and rooms without breaking and entering." The jingle in the background told her Hotch was looking at the set as he spoke. "There's a skeleton key on here, at least twenty brass keys, and a rusty silver one."

He was right. It didn't provide any help. JJ leaned against the wall in the corridor, trying to think. "What's our next move, sir?"

"The three of us are going to search the area. If Reid's badly hurt, she can't have taken him far." He paused again, continuing in a very reserved tone. "I wish there was more I could tell you, but..."

"I know," JJ finished. "Call us if you find anything."

"Have Garcia to look into Bridget's medical history." He requested.

Confused, "I thought we already looked into her history?"

"Tell her to check family history this time, go back as far as her fourth or fifth generation for diseases she's predisposed to. A female serial killer is likely to suffer from a severe mental illness. It's possible she's suffering from an undiagnosed one."

"Yes, sir." JJ complied. "We'll be waiting."

At that, Hotch hung up the phone. She waited a moment before going back to the others. With nothing to tell, she knew her return would not be well reprieved. It wasn't going to go away, though, and had to get it over with. JJ made a slow journey back to the conference room, both girls sitting up at attention as she entered.

Riley's big, hopeful eyes made her want to weep. JJ shook her head, "Nothing yet," was all she said.

Crushed, Riley's lip tremble as she felt herself about to break down. "I can't take this," She uttered, getting to her feet. She hurried to grab her purse and coat.

"Where are you going?" Garcia cried, worried.

"I can't handle this." She groaned, searching through her bag. She whipped out her cigarettes and lighter. "I just need to step out for a few minutes."

Garcia immediately ran over, attempting to stop her from falling to such a vice. "Sweetie, you don't want to do that. I know it's hard, but this isn't healthy. You need to be strong."

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture." Riley sneered. "If you want to criticize my life habits on a normal day, that's fine, but while my husband is missing and hurt, you don't get to say a word."

She had a point. Garcia reached over and brushed her arm. She could save the talk on cancer and black lung disease for when Reid was safe at home. "Do you want some company?"

There was a time when Riley would have said no. A time that hadn't been that long ago. But Riley had changed a lot and found she not only needed the company of people who cared for her, she preferred it.

"I would, thank you." She nodded, folding her coat over her shoulder. Garcia followed her out of the room, JJ bringing up the rear.

* * *

><p>"My legs feel like jelly." Sarah muttered as she stood on her own feet.<p>

Reid knew the feeling. "I imagine with that cut, it's not better."

"That was pretty brilliant," She informed, patting her arm. "I'm glad you talked me into doing it. It hurts but... I know it was worth it."

"We'll be out of here soon," He said, climbing onto the crates. He wasn't sure if it was his legs or the boxes that made him feel so unsteady. Still, though, this was their only chance. Slowly, he straightened himself, balancing himself as much as possible. The hatch was just over his head, he barely had to stretch his arm to take the handle. Success.

Not quite. The handle was more damaged than it appeared. The oxidation on the metal had melded the parts together and after so much time in the same position, it seemed immobile. Mustering all his strength and energy, Reid tugged and shoved at the handle, desperate for it to release. It was incredibly frustrating, working and fighting and having no results. Reid couldn't give up. It had to move, this door had to open. It was the only way out.

At last, he gave up. His hands dropped and he let out the breath he'd been holding. "Damn," He whispered.

Sarah was practically panicked. "You can't open it?"

"Not by myself." He began to climb down from the crates. "But, if I could apply more force to the object, I could propel it out of it's position."

She stood, bewildered for a second like Reid was speaking Russian. "What?"

"I need to hit it with something." He explained. Back on the concrete, he quickly searched the room. Reid had to be fast, they were wasting time.

One one side of the room, he spotted a long black sledge hammer. It was perfect; with that Reid, was certain to unfasten the handle with one or two swings. That was the problem. He didn't have the ability to lift anything like that. Trying not to get discouraged, he continued his search.

Thinking back to his earlier search of the basement, he remembered the tupperware box of tools. Perhaps there was something in there. Quickly he hurried over, ripping the box back down. The metal chimed and clanged as he dug through the instruments, careful not to cut his hand.

Sarah was getting steadily nervous as Reid finally rushed back over. "What is that?" She asked, uncertain this medieval looking item would work.

"A rib spreader." Reid muttered, returning to the top of the stack. "The coroner uses them during an autopsy."

As he stood, he caught the frigthened expression on Sarah's face. He realized she hadn't known what the place was connected to. "I guess I should tell you... we're in the basement of the city morgue."

She closed her eyes as she let that news sink in. "Could this day get any worse?"

"Trust me," Reid informed as he straightened his aching form, "it can."

He took another deep breath, at the same time hoping they had at least another few minutes. He pulled back the tool and, with everything in him, banged the tool on the handle.

It didn't appear to make any difference, but Reid could feel the handle shift ever so slightly from it's position. He could do this, he was going to get them out of here. Rejuvenated, he took more power than he thought he had in him at the moment and banged on the handle, over and over and over.

Each strike made more and more progress, soon showing the handle shift further out of place. Sarah shrieked lightly with delight, seeing freedom get further and further into their grasp. With a few more good hits, the handle loosened enough to release itself. It took Reid by surprise, unable to stop the momentum in his arm before swinging again. Just as the door popped open and released a pile of gathered dust all around them, Reid lost his balance, tumbling to the floor.

"Dr. Reid!" Sarah exclaimed hurrying to his side. "Are you okay?"

He quickly got to his feet. He didn't have time to wallow in this new added pain. "Yeah, come on. We've got to restack these."

She obeyed, rushing to help get the crates back into place. Reid was shaking from putting his body through such an exertion and suffering such a fall. His whole body was covered in sweat and dirt. He felt so unbelieveably sick, it was surreal.

He looked up into the hole. It disappeared into darkness, but a ladder was built into the concrete wall. They may not know where it lead, but it had to be better than here.

"Come on," Reid called, offering his hand to Sarah. She grasped it, stepping up. Without a second thought about her modesty, he mustered his strength and clutched her hips. Reid heaved her into the air, lifting her into the hole. "Grab onto closest bar and pull herself up to the next one. I'll help you climb until your steady and then I need you to go up so I can follow."

"Alright," Sarah hissed, trying to breathe. Even this was a bit too strenuous for her. She reached up and wrapped her hand around the bar, pulling up enough to grab the next one. She paused for a moment before going up to the third. Reid urged himself to keep up. His body was shaking, desperate to let the extra weight go.

Before she moved again, Reid felt his heart stop. The sound a lock echoed through the space followed by the door behind opened. Reid looked over the shelves to see light spilling in, much darker than it was before. He learned two things. The sun was almost set and Bridget had returned.

"Sarah, she's back! You need to move!" Reid rasped.

At that, Sarah kept climbing. Her body bit by bit slipped from his grasp. He supported her feet until at last, she lifted one onto the ladder and then the other.

Looking down, her strawberry blonde hair fell around her. "Hurry, come on."

A heavy gasp was heard, and Reid shook his head. "Go, you need to get out of here." He ordered.

"No, you have to come!" Sarah said, beginning to cry. "Dr. Reid, she's going to kill you."

And that was for certain. "It's too late, even if I get up there in quickly, she'll be right behind us. You'll only get away on your own."

"Dr. Reid..." She sobbed. "You can't do this, you can't let her win!"

He didn't intend to just give into his killer, but his chances of surviving were nonexistent. "Just tell my wife I love her and I'm sorry." Reid requested.

"No!" Sarah screamed as she watched him swing the hatch upward. It slammed into place and fastened the handle. It wasn't secured more than a second before Reid was claimed by gravity once again. Solid footing vanished from him as the crates were kicked out from under him by Bridget in her furious rage.


	32. The Element of Surprise

It wasn't long before Reid came to. It felt like weights were secured to his eyelids. He had to force them to stay open, moaning as the lights shined in his eyes. It made him want to be sick again.

When he could see, he spotted Bridget lording over him. Her arms were folded across her chest as she scowled, pure hatred glowing in her green eyes. Neither said anything for a long time, just locked in a staring match.

"Why don't you just get it over with?" Reid asked. "You brought me here to die, just do it already. You could have easily killed me while I was unconcious."

"And miss the life leaving your eyes? I have so little." She sneered. "Besides, it's not 8 o'clock yet."

He lifted his wrist to see the time, but he must have landed on it at some point. The glass was smashed and the time had stopped just after seven. "I'm not going to obey you. You might think I will, but no matter what, I won't do what you ask. I'm not going to hang myself."

"You're not going to hang." Bridget spoke slowly, emphasizing each word in a deadly growl. "I told you you'd be sorry if you tried to escape again... and now you've taken my sister from me. I wasn't going to hurt her."

"You and I would be dead, she would have..." Reid paused as a wave of pain shuddered through his head. It was so intense, he could do nothing but moan. It came all at once and faded off slowly, like water flowing through a long funnel.

At last, it subsided and Reid opened his eyes again. It took a moment to return to his train of thought. "She would have died anyway, no one would have found her for ages. With the stench of formaldehyde in this place, it might take months before they discovered our bodies."

Her anger was starting to boil inside of her. It burned in her eyes as her breathing became labored, trying to keep from thrashing the withering man on the ground. "You think you know everything... well... I told you you'd be sorry."

"What else could you possibly do to me?" At last, Reid managed to sit up. He may not have much, but if he could fight Bridget off, even a little... he just possibly might able to get to that door.

To his surprise, Bridget smiled. "You betrayed me and now I'm going to betray you. Tonight after you're dead, I will not be joining you right away... not until I finish what I intended to do in the first place."

His head was in no way at it's usual mental capacity, but Reid wasn't stupid. Just the thought of that made a fist clench around his heart. He practically stopped breathing.

Due to his throat closing from fear, Reid could barely manage a mumble over his growing hysteria. "You leave her alone."

"Just think, when you're suffering your slow and painful death... your wife is going to experience the exact same thing. And I will get her. Even if I have to follow her all the way to America, I will get her."

Reid was a docile man, but he turned into a demonic beast thirsty for blood when it came to Riley. He wanted to lunge at this woman. Were he healthy, he'd have no trouble overtaking her. Now he'd be lucky if he could give her a gentle push.

Still, he had to do something. He may not have much of a chance, he may not be able to escape from here before his body gave out, but he would fight with everything in him to stop her from going after the woman he loved.

As another shock of pain disabled him, Bridget turned and grabbed that which she stashed behind her just a few minutes before. She had the element of surprise and could take the upper hand before he even realized.

With a satisfied smile, she lifted the long metal pipe over hear head. She prepared her strength, aiming for just the perfect spot. Right at the top of his head. With his injuries, it would kill him instantly.

The ache slowly melted away, allowing Reid to see and think again. He looked to the woman towering over him, barely able to comprehend her actions before she swung the pipe downward.

* * *

><p>The morgue had a specific quiet to it. The modern house of the dead had a vibe about it, a finality of life that echoed in the silence of the building. Alex had long ago gotten used to this unsettling feeling... but today was different. Like he was some intern all over again.<p>

There was this odd tapping... like a steady tingle behind the walls. It was silly to think, but he almost believed a corpse was signaling from inside its drawer, wanting to come back out. He'd read articles about coroners performing autopsies, only to learn the pronounced dead was still alive. It had never happened to him and he knew it couldn't happen now... but that tapping... it was making him question everything.

He was letting his imagination run amok. All Alex needed to do was finish filling out these reports. The night coroner would be here in twenty minutes for the graveyard shift and he wanted to be done by then. His phone had long ago died... he'd need to get a new battery for that, it just wasn't charging like it used to.

A new sound filled his office, causing him to jump. How could he be so foolish, allowing a familiar noise to surprise him so? It was just the front door. The receptionist had left hours ago. Who was coming at this time of night? The local authorities would call the office phone if they were bringing in a body... and they would use the service entrance in the back.

Quickly, he hurried out into the waiting area and over to the front door. The sun had just about disappeared from the city, turning it to night. At the entrance, Alex saw four visitors were waiting to come in. He was about to tell them it was closed to the public after 5, but as he approached, he spotted a familiar face.

Rushing over, Alex opened the door and allowed them inside. "Evie," He muttered, confused. "What are you doing here?"

Looking at the group, he recognized Inspector Paul. He'd come here with Evie numerous times. The other two... a brunette woman and a tall bald man... he'd never seen before.

"Alex," She said, trying to catch her breath. "We have an emergency, I tried ringing you."

"Yes, I'm sorry, my mobile died." He explained. "What's going on? Who are these people?"

"These are Agents Morgan and Prentiss with the FBI... they work with Reid in America." She said, indicating the strangers.

"Oh," He cried, not expecting that. "What can I do for you?"

"We're assisting in the serial murder case." Emily clarified. "We've found our killer and it seems she's captured Reid and is intending to kill him..." She checked her watch. "In fifteen minutes."

"It's imperative we find him at once." Morgan added.

Alex was flabbergasted, taking a moment to find his voice. "What can I do for you?"

"How do we get down to the basement?" Paul wondered.

"The basement?" Alex repeated. "We don't have a basement."

All four became suddenly dispondent. This was all they had... and now it was too late. "What about a storage room? A crawl space?" Morgan suggested.

Thinking for a moment, Alex tried to consider anything remotely like that. There's no place in the actual building I could think they would be. The ventilation in this place amplifies sound, I would everything they do clearly and... I haven't heard a sound.

"There has to be something!" Emily cried. "They have to be here, or close to here."

Before Alex could think of a better answer, a loud banging alerted all of them. Strange sounds in a morgue was bothersome for a coroner, not to mention four people who didn't surround themselves with corpses every day. In a flash, Alex turned and hurried back into the autopsy room, the four investigators following.

Another bang sounded. Everyone looked around for the source, unable to ignore the idea it could be within one of the refrigerated drawers.

"What's that for?" Paul questioned.

Everyone looked to see him pointing at a metal hatch into the ground. It was a little rusty, probably unused for a long time.

"That's a service hatch," Alex explained. "Before the morgue was remodled in 2000, it gave passage down to the basement."

"You just said you didn't have a basement!" Emily cried. The other three wasted no time, bending down to determine how to open the door.

"We don't, not officially." Alex explained. "It floods so much, we couldn't use it. In the winter months, we stick extra supplies down there in storage, but we have to move everything perishable out by spring."

Morgan, the strongest out of all of them, struggled and pulled at the handle. No matter how he tried, it couldn't be wedged from it's space. "Damn... how the hell do you get down there?"

"Like I said, we don't." Alex explained.

Eden knocked on the hatch, trying to see if someone would respond. In a moment, the exact same knock sounded out. She did it a second time to prove her theory, a different pattern this time. Sure enough, it was repeated exactly.

"There's someone down there." Eden cried, getting to her feet. "We have to open it, we need something to pry out the handle."

"Reid!" Emily cried, getting to her feet. "Is that you? Can you hear us?"

There was no answer, no cry, but that didn't mean it wasn't him. They were anxious to get that thing open, everyone grabbing what they could of the handle to try and force it loose.

Alex disappeared into the next room, returning in a few moments with a hammer. "Here, this might do the trick."

Morgan quickly snatched the tool, "Stand back," he ordered as he got on one knee, the better to use his strength. Aiming at the handle, he banged it with all his might. It shifted just a quarter of an inch, loosened only slightly.

After five good hits, it released and the group helped lift the metal open. To their disappointment, it was not Reid they found at the top of the built in ladder, but a young woman with long strawberry blonde hair and a dirty hospital gown.

"Sarah Neilson?" Emily asked as she and Paul reached in to guide the girl out.

Sarah couldn't speak, she was panting so hard, completely exhausted. She did, however, nod and clutched to Emily as she was brought out of the darkness. Thank goodness the room was dark enough, the light wasn't too harsh on her eyes.

Eden felt her instincts kick in, getting down to examin the poor girl. "She needs fluids... maybe even a pint of blood, she's very pale..." Her eyes landed on her leg, spotting her newest injury. "There's a large gash on her leg, it's not too deep, but it will definitely need some stitching... it looks rather odd, though."

"How so?" Paul wondered.

"It doesn't look like an accident, more... self-inflicted." She informed.

"Did you do this to yourself?" Emily asked. Sarah immediately shook her head. "Bridget?"

The answer was another silent no, causing Emily to meet Morgan's eye for several seconds. "Did Dr. Reid do this?"

At that yes, both agents gaped at each other, amazed. "Reid doesn't hurt people. If he did this, he has a plan." Morgan said.

"Which means he's trying to fight this woman off." Emily added. "If he's injured, he can't have much strength. He might buy himself a little time, but we need to help him."

Morgan glanced down into the darkness. There was no indication how deep it went nor whether they could get through that way. If Sarah couldn't get out by herself, odds are we can't get in." He turned to Alex, his eyes fierce. "Is there another entrance down to the storage?" Morgan asked.

Emily helped guide Sarah into Paul's arms before she got to her feet, waiting desperately for an answer."

"On the next block in the alley." Alex explained. "It's not easily seen, there's a set of pavement steps that lead under the building. At the end of the path, there's a door."

"Alex and I can take Sarah to hospital." Paul said as the poor girl rested her tired head on the inspector's chest. "The three of you go after Reid."

Emily, Morgan, and Eden agreed. Without another word, they headed back outside and to the car. Morgan met Emily's eye again just before they climbed in, both hoping Reid had to strength to hang on. Just a little bit longer.

* * *

><p>The pipe smacked into the concrete ground with a metallic bang. Bridget was shocked, her body taken for a moment by the vibration of the hit. Reid's reflexes worked in an instant, pulling him out of harms way and onto his feet. It was truly an anomly what the human body was capable of when it had no other choice.<p>

He rushed off before Bridget could regroup. He wouldn't make it to the door yet. In a second, she'd be after him and would quickly run him down. He needed something to fight her off with, just to knock her off her feet for a few minutes and let him get away.

Not an inch from his ear, Bridget banged the pipe off one of the metal shelves. The sound practically shattered his eardrum, reminding him of a gun shot. He pushed himself further to disappear among the shelves and crates. He needed to be able to see her without her seeing him.

"Dragging this out is only going to exhaust you, Dr. Reid." Bridget cried. Again, she smacked the pipe on the metal, the sound ringing through the room. "Don't you understand, I have to do this! This is the only-"

She tripped, standing in the little area she'd assigned to her two victims before. Her feet were tangled in Reid's navy blue sweater. Her curiousity getting the better of her, Bridget bent down to pick it up.

"Ah!" She cried as something sharp stuck into her hand. Bridget pulled out the knife and watched the blood trickle down her palm. Her one hand holding the scalpel, she looked at the sweater. The fabric was dark, but there was definitely blood caked into several thousand knitted stitches.

"You bloody arsehole," She muttered, stunned. "You planned the whole thing! You hurt my sister to trick me!"

As Reid listened, his eyes landed on a crowbar. His hands wrapped around it and carefully lifted the weight. Even something this small was a lot for him to handle, but it was either this or a dirty mop and he didn't expect he could do much damage with that.

"Well, I hope you're pleased with yourself," She informed, bringing the scalpel along with her, "perhaps I should give you the same courtesy."

She went to swing her bar around the corner, knowing her victim hid from sight there. But Reid was ready. He forced off her pipe with a knock from his bar, forcing her back slightly.

It had suddenly turned into a crued sword fight. And Bridget was easily getting the upperhand. He tried to guard himself with his other arm, receiving a slice from her second weapon. He winced at the pain of his flesh being ripped open, but wouldn't allow himself to back off. As soon as he did, Reid would be at her mercy and Bridget would waste no time in finishing him off.

Reid screamed in pain as her pipe smacked him in the leg. He fell to his knees, pausing only a second to pull his body out of her range. Before she could inch closer, he willed himself away, hiding out of sight among the storage.

It was darker over here and Bridget wasn't far behind, searching for him again. He looked at his new wound, the blood being absorbed by the fabric of his shirt, surrounding the tear. Reid knew he wouldn't be strong enough to do this over and over. He only had one more chance. When he came out of hiding, he either had to take her down... or die trying.


	33. Til Death Do Us Part

Reid was bruised and all but beaten. He wouldn't last much longer in this. Most of his focus now was on avoiding Bridget as long as possible, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Nothing short of a surprise attack would be helpful. Every now and then, his eyes would flicker to the steel door. Reid debated each time if he should make a run for it. He knew he didn't stand a chance of getting away in his current condition, not without slowing her down first.

Bridget was nothing short of psychotic, unfailing in her effort to find and slaughter her prey. She tried to remain calm but every now and again her frustration would get the better of her and she'd beat the nearest item with her pipe. It didn't seem possible to have so much strength in such a small body.

Carefully, he peaked out of his hiding place and watched her. She had smashed a few crates twenty feet away from where he sat. It amazed him how people could turn out this way. He'd had his share of suffering, too. The majority of his life had been nothing short of miserable, yet he'd managed to hang on to his sanity. If anyone had a right to turn against the world...

No, no one had this kind of right. There was still good in the world and no matter what happened, if a person strived for the light, they could survive. Maybe most people would disagree, but it was his opinion. It had helped him get out of bed in the morning until he had a reason to. Maybe he was stronger than he thought. Reid had been fighting for good his entire career - his entire life - and he had to keep fighting now.

With that realization in mind, he got a second wind. He turned back around for a moment and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, gathering what was left of his head. If there was any chance he was going to get through this, any chance he could get back to Riley, he needed to focus. Gripping his crowbar, Reid slowly began to pull himself back to his feet.

Taken by surprise, the crate supporting his back exploded, causing Reid to stumble. Before he could get back on his feet, Bridget stood over him. The side of his abdomen flexed with pain as she at last struck him. His hand lost the hold of his only weapon, the clang of the metal on the concrete shattered through the entire space, ringing in his ears and bringing another shock through his skull.

Reid gasped for air as he rolled onto his back. Bridget was smirking down at him, watching his writhe in agony for a moment.

"Is it really worth putting up such a fight?" She snarled, staring down at him like a rabid dog. She was practically foaming at the mouth. "If you had just cooperated, it would have been quick, nearly painless. Now I'm going to make sure your last breathe is excurciating and extremely slow..."

Her words couldn't effect him. He didn't care if she made him suffer, he didn't care if he lay suffering, his lungs drowning in his own blood until dawn's early light. Reid was going to fight her with everything he had.

Quickly he reacted as Bridget raised her weapon again, this time aiming for his sternum. His hand at once found his crowbar and grasped it. Reid swung it upward, stopping her strike before she could make contact. At least he would go to his grave knowing he'd everything he could to stay alive.

* * *

><p>The alley was only on the other end of the block, but it still felt like an eternity to get there. As they pulled in, they discovered they were not the only officials there. The three spotted Rossi, Hotch, and Bradbury immediately. They were still busy investigating the recent car wreck and it's surroundings in search of clues. Emily and Morgan quickly hurried over to their team members, Eden in quick pursuit.<p>

"What's going on?" Rossi asked once the entire group was gathered.

"Bridget's keeping Reid in a storage area belonging to the morgue." Morgan explained at once. "It's not typically used. The entrance is somewhere around here."

"We've been here for hours." Bradbury insisted. "The officers have scowered the buildings; wouldn't we have spotted it by now?"

"It's got to be somewhere out of the way." Eden assured. Her eyes scanned the area. "We need some torches if we're going to spot it. It's got to be here."

Hotch and Bradbury quickly hurried back to their car to get a few flashlights. Returning, they tossed one to Eden. Rossi teamed up with her and the two began looking for some shadowed area or hidden entrace they hadn't seen in the fading daylight. Another light was handed to Emily. Naturally, she and Morgan paired off and began to search together.

The third and final pair set forth. "How could something so obvious be so hard to find?" Hotch asked. They were much better than this. At least in DC, they knew the city pretty well, it wouldn't take too long to find any hidden areas.

"London is an old city." Bradbury explained. "Buildings here can date back to mideval times, it's not uncommon that places are hidden away when new structures go up."

It had almost gone overlooked. Rossi's tired eyes looked one way and almost trailed off, the light in Eden's hand moving in an opposite direction. But the way the wall slooped like that... wasn't exactly common.

Tapping Eden's shoulder, Rossi indicated she follow him. Hurrying over to the sidelines, he saw indeed the wall disappeared down a set of steps, leading deep into the dark.

"Guys!" He called. "I think I found it!"

Within seconds, the others bounded over towards his cry. Indeed, they say the cement steps leading into a tunnel. Their light only went so far, unable to show what lay at the very end.

"Oh my God," Eden exclaimed, her feet tumbling down a few steps and stopped. The beam of her flashlight landed on a mangled puddle near the wall. "It's a pile of sick... someone in a car accident may have suffered a concussion... and he may have vomitted right here."

"I think we're on the right track." Hotch said, and without another word, lead the way with his light. Every followed single file into the cold darkness.

It was long march down this tunnel. Emily and Morgan wanted to run, but there was no way to tell what they would meet in this. At last, Hotch's beam revealed a large steel door. The end in sight, the entire group picked up speed.

Hotch grabbed the handle, but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked," He revealed. His emotions rarely bubbled to the surface, but there was no denying the hint of dispair in his voice.

That didn't stop Morgan, however, who immediately burst forward. He jabbed and pounded on the door, desperate for it to break to his will. His shoulder and side ached in less than a minute, sure to have bruises by sunrise.

Emily, just as distressed as he, pushed through the men and slammed her fist on the metal. If they couldn't get in, maybe someone could get out.

"Reid!" Emily cried so loud and sharply, it hurt her throat. "Reid, are you in there! Can you hear us!"

Morgan still struggled at the handle. He went one on one with the lock like they were in a wrestling match. Emily continued her calls and knocks, not even certain if he was in there, if he could hear her... or if he was even still alive.

* * *

><p>At last, Reid managed to push her off long enough to get back on his feet. He needed to be fast, but at least he was in a position to go on the offensive. Bridget was not pleased with that, rushing forward to shove him against the wall.<p>

It knocked the wind from him for a moment, and before he could stop it, Bridget had grabbed him by his sweaty, filthy dress shirt and tossed his weakening body back to the floor.

"You have nothing left!" She cried. "Why do you keep fighting? You have nothing to live for!"

His cheek was against the cold ground. Reid had everything to live for and she was worth every effort to try to get out of here. If he could have one wish... it would be to hear her voice one more time. To hear her say 'I love you' or listen to her laugh... or simply say his name.

He almost thought it was happening. He believed he was dying and in the moment between life and death, he could hear her calling to him to come back to her... Reid almost allowed his eyes to close and just listen to her sweet calls.

But wait... Riley never called him Reid... not since she had been his therapist. The longer he listened, the clearer it became. He almost forgot Bridget was behind him, about to finish him off. He sat up, straining his ears...

"Reid!" It was on the other side of the door. He couldn't be sure, but if Reid had to guess, he'd say that was Emily. "Reid... please, answer me!"

Before he could call back, he remembered where he was and tried to roll his aching body out of Bridget's reach. It was too late however, his captor getting the upperhand once again. She fell to the floor, straddling Reid's waist to hold him still. She'd abandoned her pipe however and was now relying on the smaller weapon. The scalpel with blood sparkling on the seratted edge.

At once, Reid grabbed Bridget's wrist to keep the knife as far from his skin as possible. Emily's panicked voice kept screaming for him. He feared if he didn't answer, they would assume he wasn't here and leave.

"Emily," He called, hoping it was loud enough to make it through the door. "Emily... please... please, somebody..."

He couldn't cry out for long, however, needing to focus his fading strength on keeping this woman at bay

* * *

><p>Emily kept continously slapping her palm on the door, crying and screaming Reid's name. Morgan was having even less luck with the handle. It was locked solid. Nothing short of a blow torch was going to break into this thing.<p>

"Shh," Rossi called, grabbing Emily's wrist. "Listen."

Everyone was immobile, trying to hear what Rossi heard. It was soft, but sure enough someone was answering Emily's cries. She gasped, hearing her own name responded.

"He's in there." She hissed, looking at the others. "We have to get to him."

"How?" Eden replied. "We can't break that lock, there's no other way in. By the time we get a locksmith down here, that bloke's going to be dead."

Hotch, however, did not feel as hopeless. He wasn't sure what made him think of it, but suddenly his thoughts landed on the keys he found in the car accident. It was a long shot, but...

Without another word, he reached into his pocket. He should have labeled these as evidence and set them aside, but for some reason he chose to hang onto these. It didn't make any sense why this time he wavered from his usual routine, but right now it didn't matter.

"If it's any of them," He said, handing the bunch to Morgan. "It'll be the rusty one."

In the dark, it was hard to find the right key. Bradbury tried to shine the light on Morgan's shaking hands until at last, he gripped the rusty one. It was another moment before he shoved it into the lock. It clicked instantly, bringing relief to everyone.

The handle turned easily and Morgan went to open the door... only to find it wouldn't budge any further than an inch.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, confused.

"It's..." He could barely form words. "It's stuck."

"What do you mean?" Rossi wondered.

"I mean it's stuck, what the hell do you think I mean!" Morgan screamed. He slammed against the door again. "Son of a bitch!"

"It might be jammed from the inside." Hotch assured. "Bridget may have done it purposely, but we can get it open. Everyone grab on."

Morgan and Hotch in front took the handle. The other four shifted and stood together quite awkwardly, their fingertips barely clutching the metal on the side. They hated to think what time they were wasting and what Reid was enduring in there, just trying to survive.

"Alright, on three." Hotch ordered. "One... two... three!"

And with that, every bit of strength the six had focused on prying open this door. It was even more difficult than forcing open the hatch. Beads of sweat formed on their brows, even in the cold January air. They tugged and pulled for almost a full minute, but nothing was happening. It wasn't fair. Just a few feet away and they couldn't even save him. It shouldn't be allowed to end like this.

Like a marvel, the door sifted. It popped off what appeared to be small wooden wedges Bridget had slipped under the door, reinforcing the security. It slipped open wide enough to let in one person at a time. Bradbury, the only one the group with a gun, ran in first. Emily was right behind followed by Eden, Rossi, Morgan, and finally Hotch.

The flourscent lights lit up the scene. Reid was almost unrecognizable. Dirty and crumpled on the floor, a large purple bruise forming on his temple and down the side of his face. There was blood on his arm and he could hardly open his eyes, more than likely because of the pain. But even with all of that, he fought to hold off the capable, psychotic woman trying to slice his skin open.

Were they in America, Emily and Morgan would never have hurried forward like they did. They would have announced themselves and ordered their unsub to drop her weapon, threatening to shoot if she didn't. But they couldn't protect themselves. All they could do was act on instinct.

Morgan rushed to the woman. She may have been a match for the injured young man, but she couldn't hold Morgan off on his worst day. Before she even realized what was happening, Morgan had lifted Bridget off of Reid, holding her back in his strong grasp. She screamed and struggled against the unbreakable hold. The other men went to help subdue the woman.

While they assisted Morgan, Emily flashed to Reid's side, quickly joined by Eden. As soon as Bridget had been lifted away, Reid relaxed and let his eyes slip close, not even registering why he'd been freed. All he knew was that he was. He could rest now.

"Reid," Emily called, brushing his cheek. "Wake up, you have to wake up."

Reid wanted to open his eyes, he wanted to fight and hang on... but he was just so tired. He'd been at this for hours, all he wanted to do was sleep.

Kneeling by his side, Eden felt her former training kick in. She examined their victim from top the bottom, assesing what he needed. "He's definitely got a concussion." She affirmed, proving her former theory. "Get him on his feet, he needs to stay awake. Walking and talking will keep him alert.

Emily followed her command without question. "Reid," She ordered, trying to pull him up. His body was limp; dead weight. Almost nothing could get through to him. "Please, Reid, you have to get up. You have to hang on."

He let out a groan, struggling to sit up. Even with both the girls' guidance, it was a difficult task.

Eden was not about to let him quit. Leaning into his ear, she screamed as loud as her vocal cords would permit. "Get up, Reid! Come on, on your feet! Open your eyes, Yankee, stand up! Move!"

Whether it was the commands or the volume, Reid suddenly found himself with his eyes wide open. He couldn't stand on his own, but with Emily and Eden's help, he became upright. At last, his blood flowing a little more normally, easy breaths of oxygen flowing into his lungs, he could form somewhat coherent thoughts.

The light was a bit too bright for him, but squinting wasn't so bad. After a few deep inhales, he gave a weak smile. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to see you guys."

They couldn't help but give a laugh. "You okay, kid?" Morgan asked, still holding on to Bridget. Her energy was running low, fighting against his grasp less and less.

It took a moment for him to form words. "Uh... I've been better." He looked over to Emily with a small smile. "I feel like I'm going to collapse any second."

"I'm here, Reid, don't worry. I won't let you fall." She said with a reassuring smile.

"You stay on your feet, Reid, or you're fired." Hotch said.

It was no doubt a joke, but Reid was so disorientated, he hadn't realized. "You can't fire me, I don't work in this country."

They tried not to laugh, but they were just so relieved their friend was okay, it couldn't be stopped. "We'll take Bridget to the Yard." Hotch explained as he guided Morgan to lead their suspect out. "You guys get him to the hospital."

"Wait!" Reid cried, so loud it sent a pain through his head. This was too important to forget, though. He couldn't believe he had almost forgotten.

"What is it?" Rossi wondered.

He was going to be sick at any moment, but he forced it back down into his stomach for now. "Her rings..."

It was so low, no one even understood what he said. "What?" Morgan asked.

"Her... rings..." He called out. "She's wearing... She's wearing Riley's rings, I need them back."

"No," Bridget cried, tears in her eyes trying to keep her hands out of their grasp. However, with Morgan holding her, the three others easily took control, grabbing her left hand. Bradbury held it as Rossi slid first the gold wedding ring off and then the silver diamond one.

He marched over and handed them to Emily. "Prentiss will hang onto them, okay?"

Reid nodded, and that was it. He buckled in the girls arms, almost falling over. Once again, he vomitted on both the floor and the hem of Emily's black pants.

She cringed a bit and tried not to be grossed out by it. Reid slowly stood up again, wiping his mouth. "Oh, Emily..." He moaned. "I'm sorry."

Forcing a smile and ignoring the smell, she put a supportive hand around Reid's back, helping him to the door. "It's fine, Reid. It's a small price to pay if it means you're alright."

He wasn't so sure he believed her at first, but the comforting pat on his back told him she was telling the truth. Everything was fine.

* * *

><p>8 o'clock had just passed. Riley had been staring at the clock for ages, certain someone would call before the deadline passed... but it never came. And as the long hand indicated the hour, it took all her strength not to burst into tears.<p>

The three had stopped trying to make conversation. Garcia had been working on her computer, carrying out Hotch's orders. She was trying to take as much time as possible, just for a chance to occupy each passing minute. The silence and the clicking of the keyboard was broken as at last, JJ's cell rang a second time. All three stared it, terrified like it was a venomous spider wanting to bite.

Carefully, JJ picked up the phone. She swallowed hard. "It's Hotch," She said, her voice cracking a bit. They all knew what this was about. Hope had dried out at the start of the hour. Riley had already started crying.

Still, though, JJ couldn't answer this call in front of her. She needed to be in a place where she could break down and doing it in front of the tormented bride wasn't fair. She got to her feet, clutching the device as it continued to ring. "I'll be right back."

"We'll be here," Garcia assured. She abandoned her computer and hurried over to the seat next to Riley, who immediately took her hand. Garcia's free one patted her shoulder as JJ disappeared through the door.

"You can't assume the worst yet, Sweetie." She said, though it wasn't fair to keep her spirits up when it was all but certain hope was gone.

Riley shook her head, her free hand brushing her tears away. "I just... I keep thinking about..."

She trailed off, but Garcia was too curious. "What?"

"The night we got engaged." Riley explained. She sniffled a bit, remembering that night. "I remember, it was really late and we were lying in bed... Spencer was holding me and... I was looking at my engagement ring..."

She looked down at her bare finger. It was so odd. Riley hadn't quite gotten used to her wedding band yet, but it felt so odd to be without her engagement ring. "I told Spencer how much I loved it and I promised I was going to wear it for the rest of my life... I remembered thinking that the rest of my life was indeed a long time... but with Spencer... it didn't feel nearly long enough." Her tearfilled eyes looked to Garcia's saddened face. "Interesting how the man you love can so easily change your whole perspective, isn't it."

"Yeah," Garcia agreed, giving a small smile. "Life can do an entire 180 in an instant... just because of him."

She nodded, struggling to keep from breaking down just yet. "I just figured, when we said 'til death do us part', I never would guess death was a week away."

It was too much. Riley covered her hand and silently sobbed, shielding out the light. Garcia tried to move closer, comforting her as much as possible. If all she go do was be here for the poor, grieving girl she could. It wasn't much, but even a little support could make the pain more bearable.

"Riley!" JJ exclaimed as she stepped quickly into the room. There were tears streaming down her face now and they couldn't be stopped.

Garcia closed her eyes as she waited to hear the news, Riley looked to her. She was prepared to hear it. It was going to devestate her, but she was ready.

To her amazement, however, JJ smiled, "They found him... he's okay."

It had to be her imagination. Tentatively, Riley got to her feet. "What?"

"They got to him in time," JJ said, stepping into the room. Garcia gapped at her, trying to comprehend this herself. "He's hurt and he's been beaten... but he's alive."

It was like an incredible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Riley couldn't even form words, standing in shock. Her body was shaking and she felt ice cold, just waiting for someone to tell her it was a lie. She'd been preparing to hear the worst case scenario and now she didn't know how to react.

Reality finally sunk in and Riley burst into tears. "Oh... thank God," She uttered as the hopeless feeling lifted away. With it went the strength in her body and she nearly collapsed from relief.

JJ hurried forward to pull her into her arms, allowing her to cry on her shoulder. Riley clutched to her as she finally let everything go, relieved her entire world was not about to shatter around her. JJ was smiling through her tears and looked over Riley's raven curls. She caught Garcia's eye and found she was grinning, too.


	34. Wedding Bands

Hotch stared through the window into the interrogation room. Through it, he saw the pathetic shell of a woman slumped over the surface of the table. Her frizzy strawberry hair spread around her. He couldn't hear anything out here, but he was certain she was silently weeping.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement. Turning, he saw JJ was coming in the see him. Handing him a few printed sheets of paper, she said, "This is everything Garcia could find on her family history."

His tired eyes scanned it quickly, but even he could spot the most distinguishable words. He nodded, "Thank you."

JJ couldn't resist turning to their criminal. It was the first time she was seeing her and was surprised. "She's not what I expected."

"Until a few hours ago, we weren't expecting a woman." Hotch muttered, giving her a soft glance.

"It's not that," She shook her head. "It's just... someone who did all this, who planned all this... I expected someone cold... someone angry. She just seems... sad."

Hotch nodded, understanding. He knew that feeling. When you lose the one you loved, no matter what the circumstance, something inside you hurts so much... like a part of you is dying. He'd felt that way when Hayley left him, he knew Reid had felt that way when Riley was in Seattle... it took a strong person to be able to pull through it. Bridget just wasn't strong enough.

"Are leaving for the hospital now?" He asked.

"Yes, Riley and Garcia are meeting me at the car." She answered. "We'll see the rest of you in the morning?"

At that moment, Rossi and Bradbury were stepping in. Hotch nodded again. "Definitely, drive safe."

With a tired smile, JJ say her goodbyes to the three men and left. The two agents and inspector grouped together.

"I'd like to lead the interrogation if that's alright," Hotch said to Bradbury. "You'll need to be in there for legal reasons, but I'd like to control the questioning."

"This is your area of expertise." Bradbury said without offense. "In fact, it would give me a good chance to observe."

"I'll be the third party out here." Rossi answered. "Do you know what you're going to say?"

He gave nothing more than a nod, taking the offered case file from his team member. Stepping over to the door, Hotch slowly entered with Bradbury behind him.

Rossi watched as the two men took their seats at the table. Bridget sat up as she realized she had company. Her trembling hands wiped the streaks from her face. She didn't question or demand to know why she'd been in here so long. In fact, she wrapped herself in her arms, guarding herself, and stared at the table.

"Bridget Murphy," Hotch said as both he and Bradbury sat down. "My name is Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, I work at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. This is Inspector Leonard Bradbury with Scotland Yard."

Her eyes landed on Bradbury. "I know who you are..." She mumbled. "You've been handling this case since the beginning."

He nodded. "Yes, I have."

Her lip was trembling a bit as her sorrowful green eyes landed on Hotch. "You're only here because those Americans were in danger."

"Actually, we were working on this case before you decided to go after the Reids." He explained. "But, I do know them personally, they are my friends. Now... we need to answer some questions."

More tears were flowing through her lashes. She gave no affirmation or denial that she would be cooperative, but she didn't seem to be resisting.

"We've taken a look through your medical history." He explained, pulling out one of the sheets of Garcia's findings. "It says here you come from a long line of female family members with bipolar disorder, including your mother. Is that true?"

She nodded, remaining silent. "Have you ever been tested for the disorder, Miss Murphy?" Bradbury asked.

"I'm not a nutter." She choked, trying not to sob.

"We didn't say you were." Hotch assured. "But, in our experience, behavior like this suggests some kind of mental imbalance... such as depression."

At that those words, her eyes squeezed shut and she became like a waterfall. "I didn't want to do it... I don't know why I did it in the first place... but once it happened, it made the pain stop for awhile. I had to keep doing it."

"So you admit to killing these people?" Hotch asked.

Bridget was too taken over by her emotions to answer. She covered her face with her hands, sobbing silently.

"Miss Murphy, if you do confess to the crimes you committed, we can help you." Bradbury said soothingly.

"I can't go to prison." She moaned. "Please, I'll die in prison."

"Someone in your state won't be incarcerated." Hotch explained. "Your cooperation will ensure you don't go to trial. You'll be placed into a psychiatric facility where you and your disease can be properly treated."

"You may have to be there for a long time," Bradbury said, a sugar-coated way to indicate the rest of her life. "But it's a much better placement than life in prison. Will you cooperate?"

She needed only a minute to think before she nodded. That was that; quick and clean. With her answer, the BAU's service to Scotland Yard was finished, allowing both Hotch and Rossi to breathe with ease.

"I'll have the papers drawn up." Bradbury said, standing up. "We'll sign it and have you placed in hospital by morning. If you come with me, we'll take you somewhere you can lie down."

He went to help the young girl stand. As a precaution, he put her wrists in handcuffs. She didn't resist in the least. Seeing nothing further for him to do, Hotch stood and headed to the door.

"Agent Hotchner," She called, sounding shaky and meak.

"Yes?" He asked, looking back.

"Would you..." She stammered, trying to even her voice. "Would you please tell Mr. and Mrs. Reid... that I'm sorry?"

Bridget waited with expectation. Hotch couldn't have felt more pity for her. "I'll tell them." He assured, seeing the relief flood her face. With that, he turned and left, meeting Rossi on the other side.

* * *

><p><em>With trembling hands, Reid took grasp of Riley's. They stood before the judge. It comforted him to know Riley was trembling, too. He hoped he could say this as flawlessly as he'd been practicing for weeks. How ironic it would be for his eidetic memory to fail now.<em>

_He couldn't even hear the judge speaking, even if it was right in his ear. All he could do was look at the beautiful woman before him, dressed head to toe in white. The silver sparkles glittered all over her dress. She had never looked so beautiful and right now, Reid was incredibly grateful for his amazing memory. He'd be able to return to this for the rest of his life and recall every detail. His love dressed so gorgeously... just for him._

_It was upon him. Reality returned to him, realizing it was his time to speak. Reid took a deep breath and looked back to his best man to accept the gold ring. Morgan gave him a reassuring wink. If Reid didn't know better, he'd think Morgan was actually proud of him. Turning back to his bride, he clutched Riley's left hand and carefully cleared his throat._

_"Riley," He said, and was pleased it came out so clearly. "I've never had much in my life... and the truth is, I've never wanted much. Even when it seemed, however, that I had everything possible to make me happy, I knew something was missing. I knew there was some part that I needed in order for my life to be complete." _

_He swallowed as he gave a smile. The tears forming in her eyes was enough confidence to push him on. "You're that last piece. I want you in my life, but more importantly, I need you in my life. I can't be alone anymore. Now that I know what it feels like... to have the love of the most wonderful woman... to always have my best friend by my side, supporting me, loving me, making me feel like the luckiest man in the world... I can't live any other way. If I lose everything else, I know I'll be all right... as long as I have you. I love you more than my own life is worth and I know, as long as we're together... we can get through anything."_

_That was it. The first tear dripped down her cheek. Reid easily slid the gold band onto her ring finger. As it settled into place, he grasped her hand, meeting her eyes again._

_A moment passed between them and Riley turned to Emily, taking the matching ring. She turned back around, barely able to look at Reid's face as she prepared to speak. As she looked up, however, the glow in his soft hazel eyes relaxed her and she smiled._

_She could do this. Her knuckles were white as she clung to his hand. With another deep breath, she spoke. "I had the hardest time when I was growing up... just trying to survive the world I was in until I was free, when I could have a real life... and be happy. Everything would be be alright, and if I just held on... I would get my happy ending someday. I never planned for something like this. I didn't want to get married, I never wanted to fall in love, I was just so afraid I'd wind up in that world again... It's funny how the one thing you never wanted turns out to be what you needed all along."_

_She bit her lip a moment, and Reid started to feel like he was going to cry, too. He remembered how scared she was, that both their lives would be ruined if she let herself be in love. It was hard to believe, after all that fighting and misery, they were getting married._

_"I didn't know it, but you are what I was waiting for." She said, her voice cracking a bit, just as choked up as he. "You're my happy ending, Spencer. And the best part is, it's not the ending. It's just the beginning. I know we're going to have a good life together... you make me so happy. And I will love you until the day I die."_

_And with that, she slid the band onto Reid's hand. It fit like a glove, wrapped around his finger like it belonged there all along._

_The judge took his place once again, first asking Reid if he took Riley with all his love and devotion. To Riley, he asked the same. When the 'I do's were finished, he pronounced them for the first time to the entire congregation. Reid felt all his nerves bundle and twist in his stomach, at last getting to bring her lips to his. It was the sweetest, most beautiful kiss he'd ever shared with her. The kiss that officially made her his._

Reid let out a soft sigh, he was sleeping peacefully now. A pleasant, blissful smile was spread on his face, breathing in and out at a steady pace.

Morgan couldn't help but chuckle as he watched him. He had arrived a half hour ago. Eden had asked him to stay with him so she could get back to the Yard. Reid's pain must be better now. When he woke up, he'd be in a bit of agony, but for now he was at ease. He was content to let him be in whatever place was making him so happy.

A soft knock on the door disturbed him. "Come in," Morgan called as quietly as possible.

The door opened to reveal Emily. She poked her head in, checking on the patient. "Hey, how is he?" She whispered.

"Comfortable," He answered. He watched as Emily slipped in, carefully closing the door. "They gave him a sedative so he could sleep through the pain. He should be awake soon, though." He suddenly realized Emily was alone. "Where's Riley? I figured by now she'd be here flipping over gurneys to get to him."

She couldn't help but give a light laugh. "I just talked to Garcia, they should be here soon.."

It was like things were normal between them again. Emily took the chair right beside Morgan, and he didn't even shift uncomfortably as she sat. She looked to the sleeping man in the bed, smiling again. "I wonder what he's dreaming about."

"I could take a guess." Morgan said with a grin and a wink. He couldn't help but feel a warm wave of happiness in his stomach as he made her smile.

But it was short lived. "So... the case is over."

"Yeah..." He mumbled. "We'll probably fly home tomorrow afternoon."

"And then... back to our regular life." Emily said softly. Each word was another step towards the door of unanswered questions. Both were desperate to open it, terrified of what they'd find.

Never able to control himself, Morgan felt his anger creeping up on him. "I'm sure you'll want to get that transfer going as soon as possible."

Was it silly for her to believe they could actually have a civil conversation? Even if they could manage to work this out - yet again - it wouldn't last. Maybe their friendship was too far gone to repair.

"I thought you wanted to talk." She indicated, her temper already beginning to slip from her.

He did. Morgan had hoped once the time came, he could work out what he wanted to say. What he wanted and what he needed to say in order to keep her were two different things. He couldn't even look at her, knowing those brown eyes were going to infiltrate him again and make him long for her so badly, it would hurt.

"You said you had some things you wanted to say, too." He finally answered, putting the ball in Emily's court.

Unfortunately, she was just as lost as he was. She tried to take Riley's advice. If she wanted Derek Morgan, she had to fight for him. And in order to do that... she had to admit she was wrong.

"I don't want a transfer." She mumbled. "I don't know much, but I know I don't want to leave the BAU, or our team... or you."

"Really, I make it on that list?" He grumbled, still unable to look at her.

"Why do you have to do that?" She asked, irritated. "I'm trying to honestly say how I feel and you have to be a jerk."

She was right, he'd done that to people his whole life. Were he profiling someone, he'd say it was a defense mechanism so as to avoid being hurt. It was probably the reason why he had so few serious relationships in his life... and why he was fighting with himself so hard to keep her. Were it anyone besides Emily Prentiss, he would have discarded her ages ago. No one but Emily was worth this trouble.

"I'm sorry," His voice was hushed, almost in a frightened way.

Emily had to admit, she expected him to lash out at her. Maybe she could do this. She reached over and gently took his hand. It was so cold against her skin, but she missed it all the same.

"I'm... I'm scared, Derek." She mumbled, her eyes closed as she tried to shut out the world.

Amazed, Morgan finally turned to her. He gaped at her a moment, her saddened face breaking his heart. "What?"

"I'm afraid... to admit how I really feel." She revealed, still hiding in the darkness. "I'm afraid to ask for what I really want because..."

Her voice was fading. It trailed off so low, her last few words were inaudible. "What? Because what?"

"Because... I don't want to seem weak." She fiercely stated. "I can't reveal to even myself that I could be happy... that I... I need someone else... that I need you." At last she opened her eyes. Pure terror glowed in them. "I know I'm not enough for you, but if I can't have you... I can't share you. Please understand that. I don't want to lose our friendship or our partnership over this... but I can't do this anymore. I want more."

Morgan had suddenly forgotten how to speak. He stared at Emily in shock, knowing he could have exactly everything he wanted. But how could he explain it to her? Would she even understand?

The silence became unbearable and Emily felt her whole world crash around her. She had lost everything. He was absolutely right, she knew exactly what she wanted, but was too damaged and too far gone to let it be a part of her life.

Had another second passed, Emily would have stood from her chair, said a quick goodbye, and left. She'd avoid Morgan until they got back to America, at which point she would indeed request a transfer. But, as if Fate was trying to keep them side by side, a loud groan sounded.

Emily and Morgan turned to see Reid starting to stir. His hand lifted to feel his head, lightly rubbing his uninjured temple.

His head was throbbing. He couldn't ever remember feeling a pain this bad before, but at least he seemed a little more at ease now. Slowly, Reid allowed his eyes to open, finding himself in a hospital bed. It seemed a little different than he was used to, taking several moments to recall he wasn't even in his native country at the moment.

"Hey," Emily said with a smile, putting her own misery aside for the moment, just thankful her friend was okay. "How are you feeling?"

His mouth was so dry, but turned to find Morgan and Emily sitting by his bedside. It made him happy, even if they weren't the person he'd been hoping for. "Sore," He grumbled, but gave a smile. "Could I have some water?"

"Absolutely," Emily exclaimed, standing up. She went to a round table in the corner, pouring some into a glass from a large metal pitcher. She handed it to him and watched him drink the tepid water slowly, relishing the taste.

"Thanks," He said, handing the empty cup to her.

She set it on his beside table, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What time is it?"

"Almost midnight," Morgan informed. "You've been sleeping for about two hours, you'll probably be sleepy for awhile, you've got a sedative in your system."

He definitely preferred that over pain killers. One more glance around the room informed him they were indeed his only visitors. "Where's Riley?" He asked with longing.

"She's on her way." Emily assured, patting his arm.

"I swear, you've got nine lives, kid." Morgan teased with a grin.

"It's a common misconception that cats have nine lives." Reid informed, his head sinking into his pillow. "Felines are no more resiliant to death than any other animal, but their reflexes and ability to land on their feet gives the impression they're less susceptible to injury."

He shook his head, meeting Emily's eye for a moment. "Yeah, I'd say he's alright."

Emily giggled, feeling Reid take her hand. "Thanks you guys... I wouldn't have lasted much longer if you hadn't found me."

"I don't know, Reid, you were holding your own pretty well in there, even with a concussion." Emily informed. "I don't know how you managed to get Sarah out of there, but it was good thinking, she's safe and on the mend."

"Really?" He'd almost forgotten about his fellow captive. "You found her? She's okay?"

"Thanks to you," Emily continued. "She's resting down the hall, and still with child, we're happy to say."

He couldn't have been happier about that, sighing with relief. At least some good came out of having to slice through her flesh, which was going to haunt him for a long time. A lot of this was going to haunt him for a long time. At least he knew he had his family by his side, and he could lean on them, including the beautiful girl that kept running through his thoughts as he looked for the strength to hang on.

Reid seemed to have forgotten his friends were in the room, watching him with apprehension. "What is it, kid?" Morgan asked.

He wasn't sure how to say this. Indeed, he was afraid to know the answer, to perhaps learn the woman he loved had made a mistake in choosing him.. that she deserved better.

"I'm... thinking about something Bridget said to me." He explained, stopping short.

"Reid, she's mentally ill. Don't take anything she says to heart." Emily uttered, squeezing his hand.

She was right, Reid knew, but he couldn't just let this go. "It's just... I asked her... why she wanted us. I'm not an alpha male and Riley's not docile like an alpha would choose, anyone can see that... she shouldn't have been interested in us."

"Why does it matter why she chose you?" Morgan wondered.

Reid continued as if he hadn't heard. "When I asked her this... she didn't give an answer. All she said was if I couldn't see it... I wasn't worthy of love, and Riley was better off without me..." He glanced up at his friends. "I know it's foolish, but I can't... I don't know, I can't help feeling she might be right."

Again, Morgan and Emily glanced at each other. It pained them to know how little their friend thought of himself. "You really can't see it, can you?" Morgan asked.

Puzzled, he looked to his friend, "See what?"

He let out a loud sigh. "No, Reid, to the rest of the world, you are not an alpha male. You're right about that. But that's not what attracted Bridget to you... to the rest of the world, you're nothing, but to Riley? You love her and protect her and take care of her... you treat her in a way no one ever has or ever will. To Riley... Reid, you're the leader of the pack."

He wasn't sure he believed that. He'd wasn't sure why he always felt the need to protect and care for this woman - since the day he met her practically - but he'd never felt like that for anyone else. Maybe his friends were right... maybe, in a unique kind of way... he was indeed the leader of the pack.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the hospital just after midnight. Riley didn't want to waste anymore time, desperate to just run to Spencer's room. But, having no idea where he was or even how to navigate this new hospital, knew it was best to keep a rational head. She followed JJ and Garcia to the nurses' station.<p>

"May I help you?" A disgruntled elderly nurse asked in a strong Liverpool accent.

"Spencer Reid," Riley cried at once. "He's... he's a patient here, more than likely on the trauma ward."

"Visiting hours are over." She stated without even glancing at the outdated computer.

It wasn't taking much for Riley to get upset, ready to launch across this counter and rip out this woman's jugular if she didn't give out her husband's room number this instant. Instead, she swallowed her frustration. Taking a deep breath in order to keep calm, she announced, "I'm his wife."

Annoyed, the nurse typed through her computer. Riley knew she was intentionally taking her time to get on her nerves. The receptionist in her office did the same thing to patients with poor attitudes.

"He was brought in a few hours ago, he's upstairs. Oh, I see..." She stopped typing and reached for something under the desk. Revealing a clip board, she offered it to her. "There's always some things lost in translation when we have international patients. We'll need you to fill out some insurance information for our records."

"We'll take care of that," JJ intercepted, taking the clip board away. "You go ahead."

"Thank you," Riley said, looking to the girls with such appreciation. They really were her friends... why couldn't she see that before?

"Room 1274," The receptionist stated, handing her a visitor's badge. Riley snatched it almost instantly, hurrying to find the elevators.

Around the corner, she spotted her destination, rushing over. It took all she could not to think about what state she was about to find her husband in, knowing little about the condition when he was found. Stopping at the lift, she pressed the up button and waited in impatient silence.

"Dr. Reid?" A voice called.

Startled, Riley turned, expecting to see Spencer somewhere in the hall. Why else would someone call that name?

"Dr. Reid," Eden said as she approached the distressed young bride. She grabbed her arm lightly. "I thought that was you."

"Oh," Riley exhaled, surprised. "Inspector... what are you doing here?"

"Agent Prentiss and I brought your husband in, I stayed with him until Morgan got here. I was just about to head back to the Yard when I saw you. I... wanted to see how you were."

At that, the elevator doors opened. It would have been easy for Riley to say a quick goodbye and step away, but she felt so guilty at how she treated her. "Would you... like to walk with me?"

"Certainly," she smiled, stepping onto the car with her.

The door slid closed and Riley finally realized she was shivering. She'd been so worried and anxious to get here, she just now rememebered she'd forgotten her coat. It didn't matter now. Pushing back some of her wild hair, still frizzy from the bath water, she turned to Eden. "How is he, do you know?"

"I don't know the details," She explained. "I'm not family... but from what I could see when we found him he had a concussion. It seemed the most severe of his injuries though. The rest was just some bruising and a few minor cuts."

"Really?" She asked, alleviated. Things always seemed so worse when they had time to fester in a worried mind.

"Yes," She assured, swallowing her nerves. "I'm sorry I let him leave. I had no idea that woman's intentions, please understand."

"Oh, I don't blame you for that." Riley assured. "Believe me... I've gotten that poor man into much worse predicatments."

As Eden had suspected. She sensed there was a very interesting history between these two, but knew better than to ask at the moment.

The elevator opened onto the 12th floor. The two women stepped out. Eden knew the way and lead her down the corridor.

"I want to apologize for how I treated you, Inspector." Riley said. "I know it's silly, but I've been a little jealous of you... you've been spending more time with Spencer than I have this week. And I know that's not your fault, but... it upset me. I didn't want to take it out on him so I went after you."

"You don't have to apologize, I would have felt the same way, I'm sure." Eden said kindly. "But just so you know, Dr. Reid, when we weren't discussing the case... Reid couldn't stop talking about you."

She was delighted by that, "I assume he told you I'm a psychiatrist, which is why you're calling me Dr. Reid now."

Eden was suddenly embarrassed. It was the modern age, after all. "Oh, I'm sorry, are you not taking his name?"

"No, I am," Riley insisted. "It's just... everyone's been calling me Mrs. Reid... that's the first someone's used my title." She blushed a bit as she smiled. "I have to admit, I like it."

At last, the room number came into view. Riley wanted to run to it like she was a refugee coming home. Approaching the handle, she suddenly realized she was alone.

"Aren't you coming in?" Riley asked.

"No..." Eden shook her head. "You need to be alone with your husband right now. I'll come back to see you soon."

Turning, Eden went to head back to the lifts. "Evie..." Riley cried, stopping her.

"Yes?" She asked, looking back.

"Thank you... for saving my husband." She exclaimed.

Eden smiled, "My pleasure, ma'am." And with that, continued on her way. Taking a deep breath, Riley turned, gripped the handle, and hurried inside.

* * *

><p>Reid relaxed back on the pillows. "I suppose you guys are right."<p>

"It happens every once in awhile." Morgan joked. "And anyway, it doesn't matter what we or the rest of the world thinks. You're in love with her, she's in love with you... and that's all that matters."

"Remember that when the two of you are in your first big fight." Emily teased with a grin. "Which I suspect will be pretty soon... if I don't give you these."

From the confines of her pocket, her hand removed a tiny bundle. In her palm, Reid spotted the glittering silver and gold, accentuated by diamonds.

He let out a gasp, "Oh, thank you, Emily," He exclaimed, taking the rings from her. At least this was one promise he could keep.

"No problem." She replied, patting his shoulder.

"Anything else we can get for you, Reid?" Morgan wondered.

He thought for a moment, "Am I allowed to eat? I'm kind of hungry."

"No surprise, considering what you left on Emily's pants earlier." He laughed.

Reid looked to Emily. Though she found it just as funny as Morgan, he was horrified. "Oh, God... I forgot about that. I am so sorry, Em."

"It's alright, I got most of it off." She replied. She cleared her throat as she brushed some hair behind her ear. "Just, um... if you talk to Riley later and she... happens to mention something about... your apartment... let's just call it even."

Curious, he looked at Emily in question. She couldn't even meet his eye and when he turned to Morgan, he saw the same somewhat ashamed, but amused expression.

"What the hell did you two do in my apartment?" He demanded, looking from one to the other.

There was no time to explain. At that moment, the door to his room opened slowly, at last revealing the one person he'd be yearning to see... just as beautiful as always.

Already, Riley felt like crying. Her throat was squeezing so tight, she could barely breathe. Reid pulled himself into a seated position.

"Hi," he said, giving a smile.

Riley couldn't smile, she couldn't even talk. Tears were making a break for it and it was all she could do not the throw herself on him. Carefully, she sat on the edge of his bed, looking over his beaten form.

"Are you all right?" She whimpered.

"Yeah," He nodded, taking her hand with his free one. "I'm better now."

She could hold it together no longer. Her emotions took over, tears flowing from her eyes like a faucet.

"I was so scared, Spencer." She sobbed as he pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. The smell of formaldehyde was still about him, but it was him just the same.

"We'll leave you guys alone," Emily said, getting off the bed. Morgan and Emily went to the door, their departure went completely unnoticed by the couple reunited.

After what seemed like hours in each others arms, Riley finally sat up. She brushed her tears away with one hand while the other ran down his cheek. She observed the sickening bruise dripping down from his temple. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"It's not so bad," He lied, putting on a brave face. The touch of her hand seemed to soothe the throbbing in his head. He could deal with the pain if she was here.

She sighed, leaning forward to press a kiss on his cheek. "Oh, Sweetheart... I thought I lost you..."

"What are you talking about?" He smiled, running a gentle hand along the curves of her torso. "You can't get rid of me that easily... I told you I'd find my way back to you... just like we always do."

He was in fact beginning to consider Riley's belief may have some truth to it, that there may indeed be some kind of fate keeping them together. There was no proof and there probably never would be... but it didn't matter. Either way, they were together.

"I knew something bad was going to happen... after last night..." She shook her head. "Losing my rings was a sign."

"What do you mean?" He asked, pretending confusion. "You didn't lose your rings."

He must have hit his head harder than he thought. "Yes, I did. Remember? I told you this morning, last night before I got changed, I took them off..."

As she looked to her left hand, her voice trailed off. She was stunned. Sitting on her finger were indeed both bands, right where they belonged.

With a playful glare, Riley asked, "How did you do that?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets." He grinned.

Riley couldn't help it. She smiled through her tears, carefully placing a hand behind his head to pull him into a kiss. Reid wrapped Riley in his arms, refusing to ever let her go.


	35. Something On Your Mind

As Eden had suspected, the worst of Reid's injuries was the concussion, but along with his bruising and cuts were two broken ribs, thanks to the pipe slamming on his side. Doctor's orders were to remain in the hospital for the rest of the week, which corresponded with the end of Reid and Riley's honeymoon. Disappointing, yes, but neither could deny how much they wanted to go home.

Riley remained diligent by his bedside through the night, just as he had been to her. The only time she left was to get herself some breakfast from the cafeteria, which only took fifteen minutes. Late in the morning, as she was adjusting Reid's pillows behind his back, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Reid called, having a good prediction of who it was.

"Hey, guys," Hotch said as he stuck his head in. "Everyone's here and they'd like to see you, is that okay?"

He was feeling a bit tired this morning, but he wanted to see his friends. "Yeah, come on in."

The whole team was in attendance. As usual, Garcia was first in line, hurrying over to give the patient a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay, Reid!" She cried, carefully pulling him into his arms.

He returned her hug just as warmly. It was then Reid noticed the sparkling talisman around her neck. He'd been so distracted and upset before, he hadn't even seen it. With such a great memory, he recalled all the interesting and unique pieces of jewlery that Garcia wore and he'd never seen this one. He had a strange feeling this one was very special.

"That's a nice necklace, Garcia," Reid mentioned as she pulled away.

Riley leaned over to see. "Oh, it is pretty... where'd you get that?"

She smiled brightly. "Kevin it to me right after the wedding. It's... kind of special."

"No!" Reid smiled, catching on immediately. "Are you getting married?"

Riley was surprised as Garcia nodded. "How did we not know you got engaged?"

"Oh, you guys had a lot on your mind. It just seemed selfish to bring it up... or even be happy about it." Her fingers lightly played with glittering skeleton key.

"You have every right to be happy, congratulations!" Riley cried, hurrying over to give her her own hug. "Just be careful where you choose your honeymoon."

As Garcia laughed, JJ came over. "I'm next!" She cried. Very gingerly, she, too, gave him a warm hug which Reid returned wholeheartedly. "I'm so glad you're okay, Spence."

"Thanks," Reid replied, his chin resting on her shoulder. He lowered his voice to whisper so only she would hear, "Thanks for looking out for her."

"No problem," She mumbled, giving him an extra squeeze.

As Reid and JJ said their hellos, Hotch took the opportunity to greet Riley. "Are you doing okay?" He asked, as he held her in his arms.

"Better now," She nodded, emotion creeping into her voice. "Thank you so much for coming here."

"Anytime," He said with a smile as she pulled away.

Greetings from Rossi, Emily, Morgan, and Hotch were exchanged and soon the group settled around the room. As the faithful wife, Riley took her place beside Reid on the bed, clutching his hand. Just from that simple gesture, the others could tell she wasn't about to leave his side for a long time.

"How long do you have to stay in the hospital?" Garcia asked.

"The doctor said at the earliest, until Friday." He assured.

"Will you be able to fly?" Rossi asked.

"It'll be alright, it's not like I wouldn't get an okay from a doctor." He said, glancing up at Riley.

"No, don't even think about. If you can't fly, I am not clearing you." Riley protested.

"Oh, come on." He grinned. "It wouldn't be the first unethical thing you did in your career."

She scowled, "You're lucky you're in a hospital bed."

"Well, if you guys do have to stay longer, we'll make sure your room is paid for with ours, as long as you need." Hotch assured. "And Garcia will make sure you have a first class flight back."

"Actually..." Riley spoke up. She hated to ask after all they'd done, but Spencer was already uncomfortable. One of those commercial flights would be agony. "We were hoping... if you guys could wait... we'd like to fly back with you."

It looked as if Hotch were about to say no. It was a lot ot ask, the team taking a whole week off of work and leaving their families that long. But with a twinkle in his eye, Hotch looked to them. "What do you think? Can you guys entertain yourselves in London for a week?"

"I think we can manage it." Morgan replied.

"Looks like I'll be playing tour guide for you." Emily said with a smile to Garcia. She was very delighted by that, but even the always in control Emily Prentiss couldn't hide the sadness in her eyes and the hollowness of her voice. Something was definitely bothering her. Riley tried to catch her eye, but Emily was doing her best not to look at anyone.

"Okay, guys," Rossi announced. "I know this isn't exactly what you want to talk about right now... but we're all curious. How the hell did you get involved with this?"

Now that it was over, it didn't seem so bad. Maybe it was because, though it was a horrifying experience, Reid and Riley knew they would always have each other to lean on. They could get through anything as long as they were together. That was what marriage was all about, after all.

"It's a long story." Reid said. "But... if we're going back to the beginning. I guess it all started at the wedding. The whole night had been wonderful, better than we ever could have hoped for, from the moment I saw Riley coming down the aisle to falling asleep in each others arms in the wee hours of the morning."

He looked at Riley and felt his breath taken away. The way she was looking at him... with all the love in the world. And it was that moment that Reid knew, as long they worked together and were always truthful with each other, they were going to be together forever. He wanted to marry her all over again in that moment.

"Reid," JJ pressed. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry," He muttered, turning away. "Anyway, during the reception... Hotch pulled me aside..."

They regailed the tale of their misfortunate honeymoon up to the point where the team came in and some time after, including Reid's mistake of falling asleep before receiving his full body massage, which Morgan found unspeakably funny. Once their story was finished, it seemed to give closure to whole ordeal. It was really over.

"We at least have good news for you guys," JJ said after they finished. "I called the Grislow this morning, just to ask them to pack up your things so they could be picked up. They've announced your entire stay is on the house. They're not going to charge you a dime."

"Funny how a hotel is so willing to foot the bill when one of it's guests almost die." Rossi mentioned.

"Especially when their neglect let the killer in." Emily added.

"I've got even better news." Hotch revealed. "I was speaking with Leo this morning and, as thank you for our help, Scotland Yard will be paying for both your hospital bills."

Both Reid and Riley were stunned by this, so thankful of the generosity. He gave her a nudge in the ribs. "And you said we wasted money coming here."

She smiled at him, but he could tell what she was thinking. She would have gladly wasted the money to avoid any of this from happening.

...

It was early afternoon when everyone decided to take off for the day. Visiting Hours would be over in thirty minutes, anyway. The girls were excitedly making plans on where they wanted to explore today, asking Emily's advice where they should go first and have dinner.

"We'll be back to see you tomorrow, Reid." JJ assured as each girl came forward to give him a farewell hug.

"Riley, you know, you're welcome to come with us." Emily said, a little hopeful.

"No, I'm okay here. But thank you." Riley replied, patting Reid's hand that she still clasped tightly. "But if you girls wouldn't mind stopping in our hotel room and bringing a few changes of clothes tomorrow, that would be great."

Reid felt so guilty as he turned to her. A hospital room was not a suitable vacation spot. "Why don't you go with them? You'll get to see the city."

"I don't want to see the city, I want to be with you." Riley stated plainly.

"Sweetheart please, you shouldn't be couped up in here just because I am. I want you to go out and enjoy yourself. You'll have a lot more fun out there than in here."

"Really?" She asked with a smirk. "Because, I was thinking, as soon as everyone was gone, I'd grab that basin over there, fill it with hot, soapy water and give you a sponge bath."

Reid had to admit, he was really liking this married thing. Whoever said the first year was the hardest was crazy. He tried to keep his voice from cracking as he turned to his friends, "Why don't you girls go ahead."

They were trying to stiffle their giggles as they headed to the door. "We'll see you guys tomorrow." Emily said and they stepped out of the room, finally leaving the newlyweds alone.

As they exited, they saw Morgan was the only one remaining out there. He was very pensive, his arms folded as he just stood there. Emily watched him cautiously for a moment. After they had departed last night, she quickly left him behind, not wanting to hear the heart breaking words he was destined. Morgan had been grateful. It was going to take some time to work out exactly what he wanted to tell her... and even longer to find the strength to say it aloud.

When the door closed, they realized he was staring through the window at the happy couple. They were just talking, laughing, holding hands. Looking so deeply into each others eyes, it was like they were one soul. He couldn't remember ever seeing that doopey grin on the kid's face before that girl came into his life. He remembered Reid when he was a rookie, and he always seemed so envious of the lifestyle Morgan lead. All the girls that flirted with him in bars and gave special smiles to him in the halls of the FBI. Now the tables had turned. Reid had one woman who spoke to him like there was nothing more important in the world, that made him glow with happiness, feeling nothing but love... Morgan had never been so jealous of anyone in his life.

"Something the matter, my sweet chocolate bunny." Garcia's voice interrupted his thoughts with a touch on his arm.

"Yeah, I'm just... thinking." He shook his head. "It's not fair... they shouldn't have to go through all this just to spend the rest of their honeymoon in a hospital room."

"I know, it sucks." JJ agreed. "I wish there was something we could do for them."

Now that was an idea. "Maybe we can." Morgan announced.

Emily knew Morgan very well and from that glint in his eyes, she could tell he was forming a plan. "What do you have in mind?"

...

Everything was finally going smoothly. It may not be the ideal honeymoon, being in a hospital room with injuries. They closest they could really get was holding hands and quick butterfly kisses, but at least they were together. But they were together. They were happy just to have that, especially considering they almost died within 24 hours of each other.

That was why deciding to bring this up was such a dilemma for Reid. He couldn't ignore what Riley said... and he needed to know if perhaps her feelings on the subject had changed. Maybe she was just too scared to bring it up, or wasn't sure if she had come to final decision. Either way, it was time to talk about it again. They were alone now, it was the perfect opportunity to talk and he didn't want to put it off any longer.

Riley returned from the bathroom with the plastic basin, filled halfway with pleasing hot water and soap. If a sponge bath was a close as they could be right now, he would take it.

Carefully, she helped him situp and untie his dressing gown. As her arms went around him, she slipped a kiss on his cheek. It made him smile, his face turning warm.

"I can't believe you still blush when I do that." She giggled as she lifted the gown over his head.

"I can't help it." He said, smiling. "Pretty girls don't usually like me... and now I have the prettiest girl in the world stealing kisses from me."

Now it was Riley's turn to blush. She dunk the wash cloth into the water, soaking it and ringing it out a few times. "Don't put me through this again," She said softly, "I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," He said, reaching over to brush a piece of hair off her cheek. It was extra wild today, thanks to sleeping at an awkward angle in the chair beside him. It was odd how much he liked her hair out of control; disheveled and frazzeled made her look so cute.

Cloth in hand, Riley turned to start her work. Her eyes landed on his stomach, which had become a log of all the horror they'd been through over the years. The five stitch marks that indicated the stab wounds... the gun shot wound on his left chest from last year... and now the bruises from the strike of the pipe. Her eyes watering, she reached a damp hand over to brush one. Reid couldn't help from wincing, taking in a sharp breath of pain.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Riley exhaled, pulling her hand away.

"It's okay," He took her hand before take it out of sight. "It's not that bad... and it was worth it. We got through it, just like we always do."

"Don't tell me there's no such thing as fate." She shook her head, her eyes on the bruise. "If we keep surviving all these bad things... there has to be a reason why we're here, why we're still together."

Now was the perfect moment. Reid said it before he lost his nerve. "Maybe for our kids."

The only sound in the room was the slosh in the water as Riley rang the wash cloth one more time. She was suddenly frozen, caught off guard by his words. Gathering her composure, she turned and ran the cloth carefully over his face, wiping his cheeks and brow. "Haven't we had this discussion?"

"And we said we'd talk about it again." Reid said.

Her attitude had suddenly become so stiff and cold. "Do we have to talk about it now? What the hell made you think of it anyway?"

"The other night when you were high," He explained. "You mentioned... moving to London. You thought it would be cute if our kids had the accents."

That softened her a bit, moving the wipe around his neck. The warm water soothed his skin and the hospital soap smelled awfully nice. Like fresh flowers in a meadow. "Have you been thinking about it?" He asked.

"If you want the truth, yes." She stated, looking up to meet his eyes. "I have been thinking about it... and..."

But she wouldn't continue. "What?" Reid pressed.

"I haven't come to a decision." She grumbled. "But... lately I've been... trying to think... outside the box. I'm trying to see a different scenario other than my life in shambles and my child hating me."

"Our child would not hate you." Reid cried, but backed off before he started yelling. He could argue his points all he wanted, Riley still had to meet him halfway.

"You don't know that!" She exclaimed. The cloth fell back into the water as Riley turned away from him, not wanting him to see her get upset over this. "I could go into this with all the best of intentions, with the greastest hope that we could have a perfect family... but the risks are so high. The chances that things would work out just the way we want them too... That's not fair to you, and more importantly, it's not fair to our child."

"There's another person you're forgetting." He clarified. "You. You're thinking about me and our child, but you don't cross your mind... that says it all, that your main concern is the welfare of your family. How could you even believe you would be less than a good mother?"

She was crying now. Reid brushed on her arm, wanting her to look at him. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." She sobbed.

"We have to." He ordered. "We have to figure this out, and if not today, we have to at least come to a stalemate. You're against the idea of children, but not because you don't want them. It's because you're afraid. That's not a good enough reason to not have kids. Because every parent is scared. Do you know how scared JJ was when she had Henry? I'm sure you remember Hotch when he had Jack... they were terrified, but the benefits... no, I don't have experince, but from what I've seen the benefits outweigh the fears."

"You said this wasn't a deal breaker." Riley stammered.

"It's not," Reid shook his head. "I want you for the rest of my life... but if you were certain you didn't want to have children, I would know and I would let this go. You're curious about the idea... you have maternal instincts and their not as easily silenced as you'd like everyone to believe, and now that you're in your thirties, they're even stronger. I just want to discuss it with you without that constant doubt taking over. Don't think about the child or me... think about yourself."

Riley didn't know what to say, and after a long silence, he brushed her arm again. "You don't have to come to a decision now. But think about it for awhile... at least try to see it through your own eyes... how you would feel about being a mother."

At that she nodded, "Okay, I'll try." She whispered. Her bloodshot, puffy eyes turned to him again, her moist hand reached to brush his soft cheek. "You know this has nothing to do with the way I feel about you."

"I know," He gave a nod. Suddenly, he felt like crying, too.

"Good," She stammered, another wave of tears taking over, "Because I love you... I love you so much, sometimes I can't breathe."

She reached forward quickly and brought him into a warm kiss. All the love she felt for him came out in that kiss, which Reid returned whole-heartedly. It might have been the head injury that was making him so dizzy, but he had a suspicion it had more to do with the power the kiss, being so taken by the feel of her lips.

As the kiss ended, he held her close to keep her from getting away. Reid let her cry on his bare shoulder for a moment, a way of letting her know no matter what, he still wanted her. No matter what, he loved her and always would.

...

It was midnight. Interesting how just 24 mere hours ago, he was waking up after almost losing his life. It was perfect proof no matter what horrible things happened to a person, life goes on.

The room was dark, with only the light of the moon coming in. It was reflected off the Thames River. The bridge was too far away to be seen from here. Reid wasn't sleeping, though he still had a sedative in his body. He didn't want miss anything.

Riley was sharing the bed with him tonight. They were squished together on the tiny bed, forcing them to be in each others arms, not that they minded. After crawling under the covers, they talked for awhile, about both silly and serious things. After some time, they pulled out Riley's book and took turns reading to each other. She had drifted off on Reid's third turn, her head on his shoulder. Setting the book aside, he switched off the bed lamp overhead and bathed the room in darkness, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Hours passed, but Reid couldn't bring himself to go to sleep... all he wanted to do was watch her. Breathing in... and breathing out.

There was a click and Reid turned to see the door opening slowly. He thought it was a nurse coming in to change his dressing or IV bag. It took a moment to recognize her, but as she closed the door, he realized it was Inspector Eden.

"Hey," he whispered. "What you are you doing here so late?"

She noticed Riley sleeping peacefully and kept her voice low. "I just wanted to see you one more time before you left."

"We're not leaving until the end of the week, you had time." He said. "But it's nice to see you."

Eden grinned. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, the doctor said I'm healing nicely." He glanced at Riley and tried to wiggle the fingers on his left hand. "My arm's asleep, though."

She couldn't help but giggle. "I'm sure you know this, but she really loves you. She was downright mental when you were missing."

"I never tire of hearing that," He gave another soft kiss to her brow. Riley let out a soft sigh and stirred ever so slightly, but didn't wake. Smiling, he turned back to Eden. "So what brings you here so late? You know you could have come during the day. Coming here in the middle of the night, it says there's something on your mind."

"I'm not sure I like profilers." She laughed, "But, you are right. There is something on my mind... and I just wanted to say thank you."

Confused, "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

"Well, yes, but this is different." She explained. "Reid... I saved your life."

"I know," She muttered. "And I can't tell you how grateful I am-"

"No, I don't say that because I want gratitude or recognition... it's the truth. I saved your life. I saw an injured man and suddenly... I felt alive again. I rushed to his aid to help him, I kept him conscious on the way to the hospital, I read off things to the doctor that a normal person wouldn't know... it made me feel like myself again. And now... I know what I have to do."

"What?" He asked, captivated.

Eden cleared her throat. "I'm going to speak to a lawyer friend of mine, with both his and Alex's help... I'm going to get my medical license back."

"You're going to be a doctor again." He stated with amazement.

"I was happiest then. I really felt I was helping people. I was really saving people, not after the crime had been committed. I ran because I was a coward, because I was scared what would happen to me... I didn't even try to fight. But now... I'm going to put up a hell of a fight. I'm going to do what I'm meant to do... and I have you to thank for that, Dr. Reid."

He reached his free hand over to clasp hers. "I'm happy for you. I hope everything works out for you, and if there's anything I can do, please let me know."

"Well, actually, my lawyer has already informed me that I need character references from at least three medical doctors. I was wondering if... maybe you could ask your wife to write one? She could describe how I saved your life."

"I'm sure she'll be more than willing." Reid nodded. "It'll be the first thing we do when we get home."

"Thank you," She gave his hand a hard squeeze. "I doubt I'll get to see you again before you leave, so I wanted to say goodbye and good luck and... congratulations on your marriage."

"Thank you," Reid replied. "And thank you for everything. If you're ever in Washington, DC, please look us up."

"I will," Eden smiled. "I always wanted to see the States. Maybe I'll try to get a job in New York City or something. I hear you Americans complain about damn foreigners stealing your jobs, maybe that could be me."

Reid laughed quietly. One more clasp of her hand and Eden headed towards the door. "Be safe, Dr. Reid," She said as she opened it to the hall.

"Take care, Dr. Eden." He added. She grinned and exited to the hall. The door closed and the room was dark once more. Reid turned back to his sleeping wife, who had remained undisturbed the whole conversation. Reid snuggled closer to her, resting his head just above hers. He breathed in the smell of her hair, still perfumed by the bath oils, but it was there... the smell of roses. It wasn't going to last long, he knew, because it never did, but at least for a moment... he was perfectly content.


	36. Even

The week was uneventful. Calm and quiet, just the way Reid and Riley liked it. The team enjoyed their week in London, claiming to Strauss there was a lot of red tape and paperwork they had to clear up before they were allowed to leave. They weren't sure if she particularly bought that, but she didn't protest. If she was displeased, she'd make sure to make their lives hell when they got home. Right now, it was worth it.

Reid was discharged on Friday morning. He was feeling so much better. The bruise was all but cleared on his head and the pain had completely subsided. The ache of his ribs was to a lesser degree and almost non-existent with the help of aspirin. All things considered, he was as good as new and perfectly allowed to fly home with the others on Sunday morning.

Saturday night was a happy affair. The team treated Riley and Reid to dinner, allowing them to enjoy the city for at least a little while. Riley stunned her husband once again in a slimming crimson dress the accentuated her figure. She thought it made her look fat. He didn't think anything, his brain completely shut down when he looked at the stunning lady in red.

It was late when everyone got back to the hotel. They rode up in the elevator together. Reid and Riley were wrapped in each others arms in their bliss. Emily and Morgan made sure to keep a good distance, standing on either side of the car. It seemed their relationship was severed beyond repair. There was no hope of fixing it this time. Emily blamed herself... she never should have told him the truth. Now everything was ruined.

They separated when they reached their floor, going to their respective rooms. Riley helped Reid change and get into bed before heading to the bathroom. She emerged sometime later with perfectly brushed curls and a beautiful jade green baby doll nightgown. Reid couldn't take his eyes off her, watching as she went to her bag to fetch her book.

"You look beautiful," He muttered.

"Hmm, thanks," She grumbled. "I should have bought some pajamas this week. Oh well, it's just one more night."

Her words were gibberish to him as he admired. The longer he stared at those long, lithe legs the less he was able to resist her. The pain in his rib hadn't been too bad today...

Book in hand, she made her way to her side of the bed. Getting under the covers, she leaned over and pecked a kiss on Reid's lips. "Goodnight, Sweetheart." Riley adjusted herself on the pillows and opened to the most recent page, preparing to read a chapter or two before she went to sleep.

That was it; Reid had had enough. He hadn't made love to his wife in two weeks. He finally felt strong enough with nothing infiltrating his thoughts; he was not about to lose another night.

"It's kind of hot in here." Reid mentioned as he casually sat up. He pushed the covers off of him. "Are you warm?"

"I'm okay," Riley said, unsuspecting. "I could turn the thermostat down if you're uncomfortable."

"No, I just need to relax a little." He ensured. He fixed the covers at the end of the bed, giving him complete unrestricted access. Riley was none the wiser, going back to her book without a second thought.

Now he had a full view of her. Her one leg was stretched out straight, running all the way up until it disappeared under the short, lacy hem of the nightie. Her other leg was bent slightly at the knee, her foot planted on the mattress. Reid had learned many years ago - on the couch in her old apartment - just how to put her into submission. Needless to say he used it many times after.

With one long finger, he traced a light pattern on the bottom of her foot. She twitched a bit, but said nothing, just kept on reading. He went in again to gently swirl his fingers on the soft pads, sending a much greater tingle through her.

"Stop," She whined lightly.

"Stop what?" He asked as he tickled her foot for the third time.

She yanked her foot away. "That, you know I'm ticklish."

"Oh, are you?" He asked, feigning ignorance. Before she could whip it away, Reid grabbed her foot and pulled it too him. Feeling no mercy, he sent her into a spasm of giggles with his talented fingers.

Her book got tossed away as she fell into his possession. The other foot tried to push him off, which was futile since he just grabbed that one, too.

"Spencer, stop!" She screamed, her giggles filling the room.

He loved having her in his complete control. He managed to slide her down from the pillows so she was flat on the bed.

"Please," There were tears in her eyes as she laughed. "I surrender, you win!"

"Tell me you love me." He demanded with a grin.

Through her laughter, she exclaimed, "I love you!"

"Tell me your mine." He requested, practically having to yell over her shrieking laughter.

"I'm yours!" She squealed. "I'm yours and I always will be!"

That was enough for him. At last he stoppped his torture and set her legs on either side of him. Before she could collect herself, he crawled up to her level, meeting her bright brown eyes with his hazel. He met her smile as he leaned down and brought Riley into a full kiss.

She moaned softly, her hand resting on his cheek. His kiss was so tender, it sent a spark through both their bodies. Reid shifted her so Riley was directly beneath him. As the kiss broke, he spreading sweet butterfly kisses along her jaw line and to her ear.

"Oh, Spencer," she exhaled, wrapping her arm around him. As badly as she wanted this... she knew it wasn't fair. "Sweetheart, we can't."

"Yes, we can." He breathed on her ear. The smell of his breath reached her - so minty and warm - she wanted to feel it all over her.

"No, it's not right." She shook her head, struggling a bit to get away from him, which was useless since this was the only place her body wanted to be.

"What's not right? We're here, we're married... I think it's legal in this country." He teased, reciting her argument from her narcotic haze. "Please, I want you so badly."

"I want you, too." Riley moaned out. She bit her lip to keep her composure. "But you're still injured, I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"No, I'm okay," Reid sat up to meet her eyes again. "I'm breathing fine and the aspirin's helping; if we take our time, it'll be alright."

"Okay, but this hotel doesn't seem to have very thick walls and Emily is right on the other side of that wall." She indicated her statement by pointing towards the headboard.

Reid had had enough of this. They had finally gotten a break and nothing was going to keep him from her. The alpha male inside him took over as he quickly took her wrists and held them over her head, his whole body pinning her to the bed.

He demanded in a very fierce tone. "Well, then, Emily can put some headphones on because tonight is the last night of my honeymoon and I am making love to my wife."

Riley was completely blown away by his sudden dominance. She rarely saw this side of him and wasn't a huge fan of it. She adored the caring, gentle man that he was. But every once in a while - like right now - it was an incredible turn on. She couldn't have denied him if she wanted to.

"Okay," she whispered, an excited smile spreading over her face. "I love you."

"I love you," Reid replied as he matched her smile. He leaned down and claimed her lips as his once again.

* * *

><p>Emily switched off the light in the bathroom. She was ready for bed now, dressed in a tank top and pajama pants. Tomorrow she had to go back and face the world. She'd type up her transfer request and give it to Hotch Monday morning. There would be questions, but she would just keep it vague. She just couldn't do it anymore. Hopefully Cold Cases or Organized Crime or something would have an opening and she could get out right away. The sooner the better.<p>

As she turned down her bed, there was a knock on the door. Emily had a pretty good idea of who it might be and she was not in the mood to speak to him. Ever. He didn't want her, that was plain as day. She didn't need to hear his reasoning why.

Still, though, she went to check the peephole. Sure enough, there he stood. Morgan, in sweats and undershirt, waited impatiently, looking back to the hole as if he could see her, too. She would just tell him off, simple as that. She was going to bed alone and whatever he wanted wasn't her problem. It never should have been.

Opening the door, she noticed the saddened expression on his face. Emily hesitated, suddenly sympathetic. But she wouldn't let it sway her. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk." He said. "We never got to finish our conversation."

"I just figured that was the end of it." She said.

"It wasn't." Morgan informed. "I have something I need to say."

She was not about to concede to him, but he stepped closer, looking deeply into her eyes. "Please, Emily."

Hating her lack of will power, she opened the door for him to enter. Once safe inside, she closed it and locked it. Why, she wasn't sure considering he would be leaving within five minutes.

"Okay," She said, folding her arms. "Say what you have to say."

Her cold demeanor made him want to put on a defense, but he kept calm. He didn't want to yell, he didn't want to get upset. He wanted to say this so they could finally be together... if that was what she still wanted. It had been a few days, perhaps his distance had made her reconsider.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing he said. "I hate the way I've treated because you. That wasn't right. I care very deeply for you, Emily, and I despise myself for not giving you the respect you deserve."

Emily's anger and pain subsided a bit at that. "Apology accepted."

"You have no idea how much your words meant to me." Morgan continued without acknowledging her apology. "Emily, it's been agony thinking I lost you... because the truth is..."

Morgan wanted so badly to run. The door was so inviting. He could rush to it and rip it open, lock and all, vanish from this place. But the girl in front of it... with such beautiful hair and the sweetest smile... she was worth staying put.

"What?" She pressed. Emily just wanted to hear it and kick him out.

"The truth is I've wanted to hear that for a long time. I want more, too." It spilled forth from him like a waterfall, unable to be stopped.

Emily scowled. "How much more can you handle?"

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"Morgan, I swear," She could feel her tears building up, "I don't remember a week that's gone by where you weren't with at least two other girls."

"Looks can be deceiving, Emily." He said, saying a lot more than his words suggested.

She didn't understand. "What are you talking about?"

"How many men have you been with since you and I got together?" He asked.

Finally, she could be superior. If he thought for a second he was going to turn this around, she'd stamp that idea down. "For your information, none. It's only been you since our first night together, so don't stand there and try to make me the bad guy."

"No... but it does make us even." Morgan explained.

Now she was really confused. "Why? How many girls have you been with?"

"Since you, none." He explained. "You're the only girl I've been with since Reid's funeral... and you're the only girl I wanted to be with."

"You're such a liar!" Emily cried. Did he think she was stupid? "You said it yourself, you slept with Cheyenne after your date."

But instead of humiliation, he grinned. "I said we went back to her apartment. Where she showed me around, talked for about fifteens, made it very clear she was interested in me... and then I said a very respectful goodbye and left."

Emily didn't buy it. "Why would you go back to her apartment if you didn't intend to sleep with her?"

"So I could tell you I did." He clarified with a slight smile.

His truth did nothing but fuel her fury. "I was right, you wanted to make me jealous! You wanted to drive me away! If you didn't want me anymore, why didn't you just say so?"

"I didn't do it to drive you away!" He screamed, anger burning in his eyes now, too. Morgan turned away from her. She was just wasn't getting it... maybe she did want more, but she just couldn't see how much she meant to him.

Emily couldn't make sense of this. "Then why..." Her voice faded as she thought, extremely carefully. Why would he want to upset her and make her jealous if... if he really wanted her?

And suddenly it clicked. Morgan couldn't even look at her, but he heard her relieved laughter fill the room. It burned in his ears and he suddenly felt like some little kid making a fool of himself before a girl.

"You wanted to make me jealous... so I would confront you... and force you into something more serious." She couldn't stop the smile on her face as a few tears leaked out. "If you wanted a relationship, why didn't you just say something?"

"Because I suck at relationships!" Morgan cried as he turned around. "And I never really cared because I didn't want one... but that was before you. I didn't want to ask you to get more serious with me... and then it not work. I wouldn't be able to stand myself if I hurt you... why do you think I made that first date for you, because I care about you so much."

"I thought that night was because you wanted to show me what a king of romance you could be." She smirked while folding her arms.

"Yeah, well... that was just a cover." He shrugged. Suddenly he was getting bashful and it was awfully cute. "I'd actually been planning it for awhile, I was going to save it for Valentine's Day... but I made a few calls and got the ball rolling a month early."

He really did care about her. To be thinking about Valentine's Day so far ahead and they weren't even together. "So you... you do want to be with me? With only me?"

"Yes," He said, looking up and meeting her eyes. "As long as you want me, too."

"I do," She nodded, taking a step towards him. "Maybe it's foolish to think we can do it, that we can make a relationship work... but I want to try."

"Maybe the reason relationships never worked before was... because it wasn't the right person." Morgan suggested. "Nobody has ever made me feel like you do, Emily... because you're my friend. With any other girl, I would sleep with her and have a good time, but I never connected with her like we do. And in the morning, it didn't matter how hot she was or how great or... whatever, I didn't want anything to do with her. All I would think about was saying goodbye so I could be with my friends... but with you, it's different. I wake up in the morning... and I'm already with a friend. I'm with my best friend."

She couldn't stop the warmth flooding her cheeks as she smiled. Morgan continued. "I'm sorry, I tried to play games with you. I should have treated you better than that... if I had seen you with all kinds of guys, I wouln't think you'd want me, either."

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" She asked, moving closer.

"God, Emily, I wouldn't even know where to start!" Morgan exclaimed. He was still reluctant to get closer to her, ashamed of himself, hating to be so vulnerable. "I mean... what would I say to even convince you?"

"Well," She grinned climbing onto the bed. She kneeled on the edge, close enough to pull him to her. Both Emily's arms went around his neck, her torso pressed right against his. "All you had to do was hold me close and make me feel safe and say 'Emily Prentiss, you are incredibly gorgeous, an amazing person and a goddess in bed.' Please correct me if I'm wrong here."

"Oh, I will," He teased, his one hand taking a stroke on her backside.

"You continue with, 'I think you're one of a kind, I don't want any man to ever have the priveleage of holding you in his arms, so would please go steady with me?'"

"Go steady? What is this, 1952?" He cried, loving to hear her giggle after so long.

"Derek Morgan," She interrupted, her smile so bright, it lit up her beautiful chocolate brown eyes like a Christmas tree. "Would you be my boyfriend?"

"Yes." He answered. And with that, leaned down and met her in a warm kiss. It was the sweetest, truest kiss they had ever shared. No hidden feelings, no secret agenda... just two people slowly falling in love with each other.

* * *

><p>Reid sat on the plane the next day. He was relaxed on one of the sofas, glad to be going home. He was twice as happy it was on the BAU jet; he wasn't sure he could stand six more hours cramped in one chair. He was not claustrophobic, but the lack of space certainly built his anxiety. The FBI had spoiled him, indeed.<p>

Footsteps interrupted his thoughts; someone was joining him on the plane. Turning to look, he smiled as he spotted Riley in jeans and oversized red sweater. "Hey," he called. "I thought you wanted to talk to Emily."

"I tried, but the team told me to go wait on the plane." She informed. "They said they needed to discuss something, I thought you were with them."

"No," He shook his head, looking out the window. "Whatever it is, they'll tell me later. Now I get a few minutes alone with you."

She smiled as she hurried over. Reid's hands landed on her hips and guided her to sit on his lap. They met in a kiss and Riley's arms went around his shoulders. They couldn't describe how wonderful it was to be going home.

"Hotch told me I'll have to stay out of the field for a few weeks because of my head injury." He said, not in the least bit upset by that. "I'll be home every night for awhile."

"Oh, yay. You know, I have been practicing my cooking. Maybe I could make us a romantic dinner in a few days." She said, hopeful.

"Yeah..." He said slowly with a big fake smile. "That sounds... delicious."

"You're such a bad liar." She shook her head, making him laugh.

"Well... here's something truthful. I want you to know I'm holding to my promise. I will make this trip up to you."

She thought for a moment, the hint of a smirk on her face. "I thought that was what last night was about. It certainly was good enough."

"Really?" He wondered with a satifisied grin.

"Oh yeah," She leaned down, resting her brow on hers. Her hand ran down through a lock of his hair. "I'm surprised I can walk today."

They both laughed as he kissed her again. Quick, but sweet. "No, I mean it. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to give you a proper honeymoon. You deserve it."

"So do you." Riley replied, stroking that same lock of hair over and over. "I'm so glad you're okay."

At that, they kissed again, a gentle but passionate one. They couldn't let themselves be too amorous; after all DC was a good 6 hours away, it wouldn't be wise to ge too excited.

"Geez, I can't go anywhere without seeing those two make-out." Morgan's voice cried as he appeared on the plane. They hadn't even heard him come on. Right behind him was Emily. She deliberately passed him, going to take a seat on the couch opposite the happy couple. Morgan took the seat as far from her as possible.

"Technically, we're still on our honeymoon!" Reid yelled, clutching his wife around the middle.

Riley looked to each one curiously. The body language between them did not seem good. "Please don't tell me you two are still fighting."

"We're not still fighting," Emily said sincerely.

Reid didn't buy it. "Then why is there a space half the size of this cabin between you two."

"Well, we have to keep up appearances." Morgan said. He flashed a smile to Emily, "Right, Baby?"

Emily gave a smile and Riley was stunned. "What's going on?"

"Well..." She looked to the happy couple. "We took both your advice and... we talked things through."

"Really?" Reid asked, looking to Morgan for confirmation. "And... what did you decide?"

"That we're both idiots. We both really care about each other, we don't want to be with anyone else nor do we want to other to." Morgan explained. "So we're giving the relationship thing a shot."

Riley smiled, "Good for you."

"Why are you so far apart, then?" Reid wondered, still confused.

"Like Morgan said, we have to keep up appearances." Emily further explained. "Look, as great as this is... we want to just be about us. For one thing, we're in the same unit. If they knew we were dating, one of us would have to transfer. And, despite my threat... neither of us are ready for that."

"Not to mention, if everyone knows, that puts a lot of pressure on us." Morgan added. "This is going to be strange territory for us for awhile, we need to navigate it on our own without a lot of conflicting outside help. So as far as anyone's concerned, Prentiss and I are still at odds."

"You're the only ones who can know." Emily said in a partial plea. Her eyes landed on Reid, "I know you're not happy about this... because you're right, this could jeopardize our team. You don't have to like this, Reid, but... can you please keep our secret?"

He hesitated, thinking. Reid clutched Riley closer to him. Emily and Morgan waited through the tense silence, hoping their friend wouldn't fail them this time.

To their relief, he smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I can keep your secret. I'm happy for you guys."

"But you were so angry before." Emily mentioned.

"I'm not going to lie, I am worried about what this will do to our team... but it's not like we're going to be together forever. Eventually something is going to break us up... I hope it's a long time from now, but it will happen. It's inevitable. As for you guys... well..." He reached up to brush back a piece of his wife's hair, "if this had happened before Riley and I were together... I would be upset. I'd be fighting you tooth and nail not to risk the dynamic of our team."

"But now?" Morgan pressed.

"Now..." He met Riley's eyes. "I'm in love... I'm the happiest I've ever been." He turned back, looking from one to the other to clarify his point. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't want that same thing for the two of you?"

"Thank you, Reid," Emily sighed, smiling.

"Your secret's safe with us." Riley added.

It was then the rest of the team began clamoring on board. There was something secretive about them, like they were intentionally keeping Reid and Riley out of the loop. Emily and Morgan suddenly had the same expressions and the newlyweds knew something was going on.

Everyone took seats on the plane, all facing in their direction. "How are you guys doing?" JJ asked as she sat next to Emily.

"Not bad, we're happy to be going home." Reid said. "What's going on?"

"Listen, guys," Garcia grinned exchanging a glance with JJ and Emily, "we feel really bad your honeymoon got ruined."

"After everything you've been through, you deserved to have some time alone." Added JJ.

"Thank you," Riley replied, sensing more.

"After we solved the case, we all got together and talked things over." Emily said. "We want to do something special for you."

"So," Garcia beamed. "We all chipped in and Hotch and Rossi pulled some strings and I might have worked a little magic, too."

Morgan spoke next, "And together, we are giving you guys a second honeymoon."

They were absolutely speechless for a moment. Both of them glanced at each other before Reid muttered, "You're kidding."

"Nope," Emily smiled, "This Valentine's Day weekend, you two lovebirds will spend four days and three nights in a private cabin at the Poconos Ski Resort in Pennsylvania."

Riley completely lit up at the idea. "Oh my God! You're joking?"

"Nope," Rossi said with a shake of his head. "You'll leave that in the afternoon on the 14th and come back Sunday evening."

"Oh," She cooed, looking to her husband. "You and me in the Poconos, that's so romantic."

"But I don't know how to ski." Reid mentioned, somewhat worried.

He was completely missing the point. Riley gave him a slight glare and suddenly he understood. "I don't need to know how to ski."

"Precisely." She answered, leaning down to meet his lips, completely forgetting their was a plane full of people around them.

As their kiss ended, they turned their group of friends, most of which were stiffling giggles. "Thank you, you guys. This means so much to us." Riley exclaimed.

"You should thank Morgan," Hotch informed. "It was his idea."

That was a bigger surprise than the actual trip. They both looked to him, amazed and touched at the same time.

"Morgan, I never knew you were such a romantic." Reid said.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, kid." He grumbled. Morgan did not like being seen as some soft and sensitive guy to most of the world. "Alright, enough of this sappy junk. Can we get this plane in the air already?"

Everyone laughed and agreed, taking proper seats amoung the plane. No one but Riley noticed Emily quickly catching Morgan's eye, giving him a secretive smile, and Riley suspected that Derek Morgan was a much bigger romantic than anyone knew.


	37. Valentine's Day

The morning of Febuary 14th found the BAU team thankfully at home. They had returned late last night from Syracuse and were prepared to spend the rest of the week drowning in reports. Hotch was busy in his office talking on the phone when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," He called, going back to his conversation. "Well, I'm glad to hear everything worked out..."

Rossi stepped in, closing the door. He waited patiently not wanting to disturb the conversation. "Yes, I'll speak to you soon. You'll be in DC around March, right?... Great, I look forward to it. Bye, Leo, take care."

Rossi was amused. "Leo?"

"Yeah, they finally closed the case, officially. He just wanted to fill me in." Hotch said. "We can finally put this one behind us."

"I'm glad for that." He agreed. "Do you have the coroner report on that case in Bethlehem?"

"Yeah, just a minute." Hotch said, setting the receiver down. He opened his bottom drawer to retrieve the said papers from the sorted files. Rossi stood and stared out the window into the bull pen.

"Oh, now that's sweet." He muttered.

"What?" Hotch asked.

"Morgan sent Emily flowers for Valentine's Day." He informed casually.

"Really?" Hotch asked, interested. The report in hand, he stood from his desk to see for himself. "That's nice. He must really care about her, I don't think Morgan's given a damn about Valentine's Day before."

They watched for a moment as Emily came from the break room, her coffee in hand. She spotted the flowers and read the card. Quickly, she pocketed it as she mentioned something to the others.

"I wonder what lie she told the them." Hotch said, glancing over at his friend.

Rossi let out a small laugh. "I think it's hilarous they think we don't know."

"I have to admit, I am impressed. They've been together over a year now and have managed to stay objective." Hotch said.

"And they seem good for each other." Rossi added, taking the file. "I just wish they'd give up this fake fighting, it's getting old."

"I couldn't agree more." Hotch said with a smile. At that, the men went their separate ways, needing to get back to work.

Meanwhile, in the bull pen, Reid was highly distracted. He was trying to focus on his work. It would be wise to get all these reports out of the way before he went out of town this afternoon. But his mind kept wandering... too excited to do anything else.

His desk phone rang and suddenly he was nervous. He hoped nothing was wrong with anyone he cared about, nor that he was needed for anything serious. He grabbed the phone taking a breath before answering, "Dr. Reid."

"Hello, Dr. Reid," A familiar voice said slowly on the other end.

He breathed with relief and smiled. "Hello, Madam, is there something I can help you with?"

"No, I just wanted to say thank you for my beautiful flowers." Riley said; he could tell she was smiling. "How did you know roses are my favorite?"

"I had a hunch," He shrugged. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day," She repeated. "I've just got one more patient today and then I'll meet you at the unit."

"Great," Reid said, his foot tapped against his go bag, all set to leave on their romantic winter weekend. "I'm trying to finish this paperwork before I go, but no luck yet."

"No cases on the honeymoon." Riley demanded, suddenly so serious. "This is just about you and me."

"I'd better get back to work, then." He mentioned. "But I'll see you in another two and a half hours."

"I'll see you then." She replied. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He answered. As usual, he waited until he heard the line go dead before he hung up. He suddenly had a huge burst of energy and quickly set to work.

A few minutes later, Emily emerged from the break room. She headed over to her desk and was immediately taken by surprise. A large bouquet of yellow roses had been delievered, sitting in the middle of her desk.

"Oh, Emily!" Garcia exclaimed as she and JJ walked over. "Those are gorgeous."

"Yeah..." She said, stunned. Carefully, she set her coffee down and examined the vase of flowers. "They're beautiful."

"Who are they from?" JJ asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, Prentiss," Morgan asked, leaning back in his chair. He pretend to be utterly captivated by this. "Who are they from?"

She gave him an annoyed expression as she grabbed the card. Reid rolled his eyes as he watched the scene. Now that he knew the truth, the fake fighting was really pathetic and irritating.

Emily carefully ripped open the envelope and removed the card. She wanted to grin and giggle and hurry over to that man and plant a heavy passionate kiss on him. But she had to be discreet. .She gave a sad smile and pocketed the card. "My mom." she revealed.

"Oh," Garcia said, disappointed. "Well, that was sweet of her."

"Yeah, she always feels sorry for me that I'm alone on Valentine's Day, which just makes me feel bad about myself."

"Whatever happened to that mysterious lover of yours, Emily?" JJ asked.

She was suddenly caught off guard. Looking at the all too interested girls. "That's ancient history. He and I have moved on."

Gently, she shifted her flowers aside to get back to work. "So... you're going to be... all alone tonight, right?" Garcia mentioned, sharing a knowing glance with JJ.

"No," Emily said, "My television and I have a hot date watching a Friends marathon. Eight hours of Chandler Bing, I can't think of anything better."

"Hmm," JJ said, stepping forward. "Well... I have plans with Will and..." She looked to Garcia, "You're with Kevin... Spence is going out of town with Riley... and Morgan... now, Morgan what are your plans?"

He knew what they were hinting at, but he decided to play along. "I'm planning on hitting the bar and finding a lonely Valentine's Day honey, any objections to that?"

"No," JJ said, "But... if you guys are going to be alone... why don't you spend it together?"

The two glanced at each other, pretending to loathe the very ground they walked upon. "I don't think so." Morgan said.

"Hell no," Emily growled.

"Oh come on!" Garcia cried. "That's it, this has gone far enough! We are so tired of all this damn fighting! The two of you need to make up and just... get over it already!"

"It's not that easy, Garcia." Morgan muttered.

"It's only diffcult because you guys are making it difficult." JJ informed. "Do you even remember what you're fighting about? Because we don't even know."

"All we're saying is no matter what it is... it's not worth your friendship!" Garcia cried. "Please, you don't have to make up now, but... could you at least try to be friends again? At least make an effort to get over this?"

The two met eyes again. Obviously their fake fight was getting to be too much. They couldn't keep this facade up any longer. "Yeah..." Emily nodded, looking away. "I think we can."

"I know I can." Morgan mentioned.

She glared at him as she opened her mouth to say retort, but Garcia piped in, "Good, and you'll start tonight. The two of you are going to spend the night together, no exceptions! And don't you dare think about coming back to work tomorrow unless you're friends again."

With that, she turned and walked out, JJ right at her side. Neither wanted to hear any rebuttal. "Bravo," Reid nodded. "I have to say, I was fooled for a moment there. I really thought you were fighting."

"See how we kept this secret for over a year." Morgan mentioned. He grabbed his empty coffee cup and headed to the break room. Emily waited a moment before following.

"So..." Emily muttered, pretending to busy herself with the items in the cupboard. "Our friends want us to spend the night together."

"I think it's best we don't disappoint them." Morgan said, giving her a wink. "I am cooking you a fantastic dinner with dessert overflowing with chocolate."

"Mmm, I certainly like my chocolate." She growled. "Well, I have some very sexy lingerie I bought just for tonight and I know you're going to love it."

"If you're wearing it, Prentiss, I know I'll love it." He stirred the cream around in his coffee very slowly.

Quickly, Emily checked around. No one was paying them much attention and Reid was the only one in the bull pen. "By the way," she said, "I love my flowers."

At that, she reached up and pecked a kiss on Morgan's cheek, then slipped away before anyone was the wiser. Morgan was glad he was facing the wall, unable to stop the doopey grin on his face.

* * *

><p>When Reid opened his eyes the next morning, he saw snow falling outside the window. The curtains were open, letting the soft winter light into the cabin bedroom. It had been a long, wonderful night. Reid and Riley had gotten off the train as the sun was setting and got a cab to the resort where they were quickly escorted to their cabin. Dinner had been ordered, compliments of a few certain BAU members. Reid was so touched by that. The next time his friends asked him to take over some files and reports, he was going to do it without compliant. It was the least he could do.<p>

The rest of the night was absolute bliss. Riley changed into a beautiful white and red nightie right before dinner. They ate before a warm fire on the floor in the living room, sharing bites and stealing kisses from each other. Afterward, the spent hours laying on the rug, surrounded by the warmth of the fire. It was so perfect... just two people completely lost in each other, staring in each others eyes and holding each other close.

But holding turned to kissing, kissing turned to touching, and the night drifted off into passion and lust between the man and woman. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, they snuggled close in bed, drifting into the most restful sleep they'd ever had.

Stretching, Reid turned to lay on his back, the sheets gathering at his navel. He couldn't remember ever feeling this relaxed. As he looked, however, he realized he was alone in the bedroom. Riley's side of the bed was messy, but empty. The smell of coffee and cooking, however, suggested he knew her whereabouts. He decided to wait a few minutes, just see if she came to wake him up.

Ten minutes later, the ajar door was pushed open further. Wearing her silk nightie once again, Riley smiled as she brought in a tray.

"What is this?" Reid asked, sitting up.

"I thought I'd make you breakfast in bed." She replied, setting the tray over his lap. Reid examined the tray. A hot cup of coffee was steaming in the corner along with a glass of orange juice. In the center was a plate was three golden pancakes with butter and syrup.

It looked edible, but it didn't stop Reid's apprehension. Riley nestled right beside him in bed, waiting expectantly for him to take a bite.

He cleared his throat nervous, trying to stall. "It looks good." Reid nodded.

There was a long, tense pause as he stared at the food. "Well..." Riley urged. "Aren't you going to try it?"

"Yes," He said, carefully picking up the fork. "I'm going to try it."

Slowly, he brought the untensil down and cut an easy slice off the closest pancake. It looked soft and fluffy on the inside, and the batter was fully cooked. That was a good sign. At least it wasn't hard as pita bread, like last time.

Lifting the piece up, he carefully took a bite. Riley waited in silence as he chewed and after a moment, a surprised but delighted expression came to his face.

"They're really good." He said as he swallowed.

"Really?" She asked, excited.

"Yes, Sweetheart, I'm so proud of you." He exclaimed. Reid leaned over and placed a congratulatory kiss on the cheek. He had no problem continuing his breakfast.

"Well... I hope you enjoy those because they're the only three of the batch that survived." She grinned, embarrassed, which only made him laugh.

He cut off another piece of pancake, offering a bite to Riley. "This was a lovely surprise, Baby, thank you."

"You're welcome." She said. "I wanted to do something special for you, last night was so wonderful." She reached and pressed a kiss just beside his ear.

"Well... no one's ever made me breakfast in bed before. Though I used to make if for my mom."

"Oh, that's sweet." Riley said.

"Yeah..." He nodded as he grabbed his coffee. "If you can consider a bowl of Cap n' Crunch breakfast in bed."

"Cap n' Crunch?" Riley asked, trying not to giggle.

He turned to her, slightly offended. "I was ten, give me a break."

She laughed, "No, I'm sorry, it's very sweet. It's a good rule of thumb to marry a man who's nice to his mother... even if that mother hates me."

"She doesn't hate you." Reid argued. She gave him an expression telling him a good marriage wasn't based on lies. "Okay, she hates, but she doesn't know any better."

"I know," She smiled, "And it doesn't matter, because you love me."

He reached over for another kiss. "That's absolutely right."

They slowly shared the plate of pancakes and cleaned the plate. The tray was set aside, giving them full access to the bed again. Their arms were around each other, sharing sweet kisses and whispering confessions of love in each others ears.

"I'm so happy to be here with you." Riley said as she leaned over to rest her brow on his. "I love you so much... you make me so happy, Spencer... I know things aren't always going to be blissful and perfect but... no matter what we decide or what we do... if we trust each other and work together, I know we'll be happy together."

Reid stared into her beautiful brown eyes, her warm body right against his naked form. It was incredible to be this vulnerable with another person and not be in the least bit self conscious. He felt the greatest joy in his heart knowing that he was the only one she would ever hold, that no other man would get to experience the joy of sharing a life with this beautiful woman. She had said it herself. She was his - only his - always.

"I love you, too." He finally said, inching closer to her. His hand caressed her bare hip as his lips pecked sweet butterfly kisses on her neck. "Would you like me to prove it to you?"

"Hmm," She mumbled. "Actually, I was thinking I'd draw a bath and experience that jacuzzi tub in the bathroom."

Riley smiled as she so easily pulled from his arms. Reid stared at her in amazement, watching as she walked further and further away from him to the bathroom.

As she reached the door, however, she turned and gave him a smile, "You wouldn't care to join me, would you?"

It was like his mind tried to move his body faster than it was capable. He tried to hop off the bed and hurry after, but had forgotten the sheet was still around him. Reid's long legs were tangled in the fabric, dragging him down to floor with a soft thud.

Riley couldn't help but burst out in laughter. A little flustered, he gathered himself and looked to her with a thoughtful smile. She hurried over, gently kneeling down beside him. She brushed back some of his hair, looking over his handsome face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." He smiled. "I'm great."

Gently, she took both of his hands and stood, helping him to his feet. Once he was safe on his feet, she reached up to give him a quick kiss. Something so simple, and yet it told him all the love she felt for him. "Come on," Riley whispered and walked backwards, leading him into the bathroom. Reid followed willingly.

* * *

><p>AN: I am really happy with how this story turned out, and I hope every one is, too. I want to say thanks to pipinheart, who reviewed on almost every chapter in this story. And to rachiixox, who's always so sweet and supportive with my stories. :) (You're awesome, Sweetie.)

But, we are still a long way from the end of this series. So, look out in the next few weeks (probably right around Christmas) for the next story entitled Sins of the Mother.


	38. Update

I've posted the first chapter of the next story. As said, it's titled Sins of the Mother and can be found on my profile. Enjoy! :)


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